


A Journey of Development

by alcrevier



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Developing Relationship, F/F, For a future one-shot or two: Conversion Therapy Mention TW, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-06
Updated: 2018-06-11
Packaged: 2019-05-03 07:06:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage
Chapters: 15
Words: 30,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14563644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alcrevier/pseuds/alcrevier
Summary: A collection of Choni one-shots first and foremost written to fill in the gaps (and relationship progression) between on-screen moments ━ however may also include random scenarios.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My spin on Cheryl’s back-and-forth thought-process leading up to (and including) her movie-theater encounter with Toni ━ Taking place in 2x14.

What a sorry excuse for some weekday plans. The Bijou? Certainly not the most elegant, the most sleek. Hell, it’s not even a sane comparison to lounging in bed, watching Netflix by one’s lonesome for the remainder of the evening.

But here she is, entering the Bijou ━ or Riverdale’s highly acclaimed movie theater, foremost because it’s the only damn theater in this rough-edged town. It looks the same as it always had, walls popped with color adorned by lit-up frames of presently playing movies, while the remaining decor is less than… oh, right: elegant, sleek.

Cheryl rolls her eyes, wondering why this became one of her prime choices of escaping her mother’s sinful dances with strangers who certainly couldn’t care less about how slimy they come off. It says a great deal about the people from around here, that’s for sure, and even those  _ not _ from around here.  _ It undoubtedly says a little too much _ , Cheryl internally broods. To acknowledge that there are people in the world ━ some looking just as normal as every other standard member of society ━ heading out for the night in search of a mistress to counter their (probable) wives… it’s deafening. 

She knows she can’t necessarily blame them, though.  _ Well _ , Cheryl tilts her head to the side, she  _ can  _ blame them, but, fuck, what kind of  _ mother _ subjects her daughter to that kind of hellish home? It’s not even a home anymore; it’s a goddamned prison filled with skeletons and bad blood coating the floors and the walls. 

Those “elegant” walls.

She takes a deep breath; maybe being somewhere so spectrally distant from Thistlehouse will do her some good. Perhaps it’ll give her a breath of fresh air, or allow a little more thinking space as she steps out of such a toxicated environment with a parent who doesn’t even give a damn about what she gets herself into. She doesn’t give a damn about  _ anything _ , does she?

“Miss,” a voice breaks Cheryl out of her thoughts, a slim, freckle-faced, young teenager working at the concession-stand staring at her with large eyes, “are you alright?”

Part of her wants to snap at him, to ask why everyone keeps poking and prodding at her like she’s a comatose opossum while wondering if she’s okay, but, against her better judgment ━ or her  _ normal  _ judgement ━ she decides to simply overrun his inquisition with a firm “I’ll take one of… those,” pointing to the cherry colas sitting in the back fridge.

Her request definitely sounded the least bit alright, and her point was probably the most vague nod he’s seen in his short time on Earth, but part of her doesn’t exactly care. Not after tonight. Not after she saw her mother with someone new. She partially wonders why it bothered her so much today, on the other hand, since it’s, unfortunately, becoming something that happens on a daily basis, but, at the same time… she knows why.

Ever since  _ little-miss-Topaz _ decided to ever-so-pointedly shed light on how un-okay Cheryl’s grown… she can’t get the thought out of her mind, or shake her head, raise her chin like usual and claim, “I’m totally fine. Why? What’s  _ your  _ issue?” For hours, Cheryl’s tough, bitchy exterior has been crumbling piece by piece due to the slight insinuation that someone actually cares about how she’s feeling, and every ounce of her self-worth and sanity is latching onto the implication because, God, what the  _ hell _ ?

She clenches her jaw while looking down at the glass bottle being slid across the counter, silently debating if she’s angrier at a specific Southside Serpent for poking at her insecurities, or if she’s more pissed off at herself for being upset, in the first place. After all, the girl just wanted to help, and maybe━ 

“Let me guess… some cherry cola for Cheryl  _ Bombshell _ .”

And, at the sound of Toni’s knowing voice, there goes all rational thinking. 

“My God,” Cheryl pauses, adding an exasperated “what do you want?” followed by a dull “And why do you keep stalking me?” for good measure.

“I’m not,” the look Toni gives her is so pointed that Cheryl feels herself wanting to chuckle, the girl’s brown eyes widening in a way that’s both amusing and a tinge judgmental. “I came to see this movie with Fangs and he bailed on me.”

At the explanation, Cheryl can’t even stop herself from looking deflated, evidently losing her last-ditch attempt at shooing away the brunette. On the other hand, she senses a chilled wave of relief, acknowledging that maybe it’s a blessing in disguise that Toni, similarly, doesn’t have anyone to see a movie with. Perhaps Cheryl isn’t the only pathetic one.

Cheryl bites her inner cheek, looking around. Although she’s being studied by the girl in front of her, the same bit of relief continues to engulf her insides, Toni’s presence and soft eyes somehow distracting her enough to forget that she’s━ 

“Are you okay?”

Oh, fuck it.

Her mouth opens, at first, bound to say something in response to the question without the power to actually follow through; the words get stuck in her throat, creating a sort of halt in the way she presents herself to someone whom she hasn’t necessarily had a less-than-attitude-filled conversation with ━  _ ever _ . Shit, she’s probably only vented to someone three times in her life, and, each of those times, things ended up in the most non-ideal way.

_ Fuck it _ , she thinks again. 

“I’m alone at the movies,” her voice is cautious, hardly looking at the brunette in front of her, “and I’m trying to stay away from my mother who has turned our house into her sexual play-pen.”

Toni’s lips part, clearly the root cause of Cheryl’s pain being deeper than her or anyone else could’ve imagined ━ not that many people would  _ like  _ to imagine what goes on within the walls of the red-head’s mind. To be frank, it’s always ground Toni’s gears knowing that everyone’s aware of Cheryl’s attitude but never found the heart to discover why she is the way she is ━ and not in the “it’s their fault she’s a bitch” kind of way; it’s a vicious cycle, no one caring to ask how another person is, or how they’re doing, or  _ why  _ they do what they do, but that’s the world we live in.

“So, no… I am  _ really  _ not,” until Cheryl’s final words come ━ a statement that’s definitive and sheerly genuine ━ Toni almost forgets where they are, but the girl’s confession certainly doesn’t go unnoticed.

On the other side of things, her own honesty is like a blow to the stomach, taking the wind out of Cheryl as her insides shake in anticipation waiting for Toni’s response. She feels her knees twitch, almost like her body screams at her to collapse or simply run away, just something to take the girl’s mind off of what she just heard. Whether or not Cheryl’s ultimate joy comes from the usage of the phrase and knowledge,  _ “I’m Cheryl Blossom, A.K.A. Cheryl Bombshell” _ … unfortunately, that’s who she is, and it’s a hell of a big deal when someone so “holier-than-thou” spills their secret pain to someone ━ especially to a Southside Serpent. 

“Well,” opposing Cheryl’s initial presumption, Toni’s attitude is calm, showing desire to actually help ━ and, internally, she’s caught off-guard, “I was gonna go grab a seat alone, unless you want some company… but no pressure.”

Her eyes light up, Toni catching it without putting the other girl on the spot. In Cheryl’s mind, a tinge of panic hits her chest, but it mainly comes in the form of a fluttering sensation as her muddy thoughts disperse for the time being. On the outside, in order to stop herself from looking like a total fool when her cheeks round from smiling at the concept of someone wanting to actually spend time with her, Cheryl delicately reaches for her drink and slowly sips on the beverage.

It doesn’t stop Toni from looking at her with a taste of admiration, however, and that’s enough to keep Cheryl’s smile from disappearing behind the straw of her drink. But, as seconds pass, Cheryl doesn’t mind smiling, and starts to grow accustomed to feeling less drowned and more… curious. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Greetings, comrades! Some of you may know me from my Emison fics, others may not. Either way, I’m back at writing ━ obviously for Choni, this time. 
> 
> I know this opening “development” was more so Cheryl’s internal monologue, but it was more so a test for myself to weave my way back into the world of writing since I’ve been away for a little. 
> 
> So, a little more about this collection: Since the writers occasionally (or often; you decide) skip over important details of forming relationships, I’ve decided to fill in the gaps (or at least some) in Choni’s case. I think their relationship is very rich in terms of tone, characterization, and backstory, so hopefully I’ll be able to give you something more than what we’ve seen on-screen. With that being said, bear with me as I develop my own writing skills by working my way into their characters; Cheryl’s personality is far different than anyone I’ve had the pleasure of inserting into a story, so I’ll have to work on getting her clapbacks just right.
> 
> Also, if you’re wondering about my updating schedule: I have no idea what it’s going to be, as of now. The idea was to work on a one-shot or two per episode starting with 2x14 and post as I go, but we’ll see. I’ll notify you author’s note by author’s note since I’m, as of now, finishing up with school.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A gap fill-in between Choni attending "Love, Simon" and appearing at Pop’s together ━ Taking place in 2x14.

The lobby’s heavy chatter vibrates the hard chairs they sit on as they wait for the exiting crowds to disperse, the Bijou’s attendance hitting the bar heavily for _Love, Simon_ ’s showing.

Toni looks around, appearing curious of the movie-goers while occasionally giving a few of them her own version of a wave, delicately flicking two of her fingers with a faint smile. Cheryl studies her, in the meantime, watching her every move and wondering time and time again what’s made her so sweet, so calm ━ especially for one who’s part of the Serpents. That’s been a major segment of her thought-process ever since this morning; Toni has been breaking each and every standard that Cheryl’s believed in regards to what the Serpents stand for, and how slimy their reputations are. Of course, she’d be lying if she said that she’s not feeling guilty for nailing such a horrid stigma against Toni from the get-go, but, well, old habits die hard.

Most of all, though, throughout their very few encounters, Cheryl wonders why and _how_ Toni has been so sweet and calm directed towards _her_ ━ someone who’s been the least bit welcoming in every sense of the word. Normally people run away ━ a reaction Cheryl’s come to enjoy the taste of ━ but _this_ …

This is different.

And it’s something that Cheryl wouldn’t mind becoming acquainted with, despite the screams inside her head of how careful she should be, or how far she should shove her walls upward until no one can break through any further.

“Toni…” it comes out before she can stop it, slow and hesitant ━ certainly unlike her usual, quick-witted self.

Cheryl’s sheer delicacy regarding whatever she was about to say gets Toni’s attention quickly, though she makes sure to keep her reaction evenly-paced, careful not to somehow scare her new friend away ━ if she can even call her that, yet.

They make eye contact for a brief millisecond, though the mounting tension is derailed when Cheryl faces the front of the concession stand again, acting as if the other girl’s name never slithered out from between her red lips so freely, so gently. Toni studies her face during the next wave of caution, internally wishing Cheryl would finally open up to her and simply… be _free_. Free of timidity, and free of whatever else is ailing her.

Instead of waiting around and boring her eyes into Cheryl’s temple, however, Toni decides to keep up with the banter they’ve been throwing back and forth occasionally throughout the night because, in her mind, maybe it’ll help the red-head get through this awkward cloud that’s settled over them like a thick mist.

“Wow,” Toni’s impending quip starts dull, “speechless?”

Brown eyes finally flicker to hers, waiting for more.

“I didn’t think that was a familiar concept to _the_ Cheryl Blossom,” her casual smirk is granted a facade of sealed lips and shy eyes. “You know, the Queen of Comebacks.”

With the end of Toni’s (in a way) compliment getting a minute tint of red to dance across her cheeks, a reply grows on the tip of Cheryl’s tongue, ready to either dispute the girl’s presumption or play into her game a little further. It’s cut short, in reality, when Toni finishes with a partial chuckle, smirk now accompanied by raised, provoking eyebrows when she all but chimes, “Not to be confused with ‘Queen of the Buskers,’ of course. A.K.A., yours truly.”

Now, Cheryl _really_ wants to play into her game (while also internally thanking her for the reprieve), giving her a smile that’s a bit twisted ━ albeit, a little less sinister, this time ━ while straightening her back where she sits.

“I’m _so_ glad you remembered me, Cha-Cha.”

“Oh, how could I forget?” she matches Cheryl’s witt in a beat, the girl across from her falling silent although she appears wanting to say more.

Again, Toni waits for something further ━ especially with Cheryl looking at her like _that_. She gives Cheryl the go-ahead, tilting her head a fraction and inaudibly prying without looking overly invasive. The brunette had done the same head-tilt a handful of times during the movie, as well, her concern first and foremost directed at the other girl’s quiet (but not too quiet) sniffling at parts of the film where there wasn’t an overwhelming amount of emotion shown. The reaction made Toni’s wonders flip back to what’s going on within Cheryl’s life with the addition of assuming there’s something deeper, and, because of that, she hardly came to focus on the movie.

Most of all, she remembers how the girl at least moderately confided in her, hours prior, and how even-toned Cheryl was when she did so, like she’s finally coming around to understanding that she’s not okay instead of trying to convince herself that she is. It’s something that Toni wants to remind Cheryl of, in spite of her efforts to stay in her own lane without pushing her luck, but, shooing the idea, she takes a deep breath as the red-head only turns away.

At the same time as Cheryl’s teeth snag her bottom lip, her leg periodically bounces in what is clearly anxiousness, trying to figure out something else to focus on as if she’s crawled back into her shell ━ something that doesn’t get by the girl across from her.

Just when Toni thinks Cheryl is nearly closed-up for the evening, ready to give the brunette no other way to weasel herself into her thoughts, she’s invisibly stunned to hear the words: “Want to get out of here?”

She doesn’t get the chance to come up with something to respond ━ not even a question to ask where Cheryl would like to go ━ before an explanation comes on its own accord.

“I don’t feel like going home right now,” Cheryl admits, taking a deep breath with her shoulders slumping. “I don’t feel like… walking in on my mother doing God-only-knows-what. Or doing God-only-knows- _who_ ,” her eyes widen as the correction flows, Toni paying attention to her expression.

Before Cheryl leaves the request with so much as a quiet tone and reserved body language, it’s Toni’s turn to smile as the result of the girl adding a smug-yet-semi-flirtatious “But no pressure” like the red-head had heard prior to the movie.

With a subtle laugh and genuine grin, Toni nods slightly while replying, “I’d like that,” with the hope that she provides some sort of comfort within both their forming bond and Cheryl’s less-than-ideal home-life.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An extended version of the “sensational” 2x14 Pop’s Diner scene, plus their departure.

It had been a long time coming and they both knew it, but neither Cheryl nor Toni previously comprehended how severely the floodgates would open once they did. Truthfully, if Cheryl had known, she probably would’ve turned back, or ignored every question that Toni asked about what’s going on that’s been making her so cold and rigid. But, then again, this conversation didn’t necessarily result from one of the brunette’s question, however mainly because Cheryl felt the girl’s warmth, and something finally…  _ clicked _ . 

So, here she is, spewing her heart out to someone whom she had harshly swatted away hours prior, partly wondering why Toni is still willingly listening with those soft, beautiful eyes, and━ 

Cheryl sucks in a sharp breath, chest already sore from crying as she all but chokes out an explanation as a final effort to convince herself ━ amongst others ━ that she’s not loveless: “I loved someone… who loved me. My mother destroyed it.”

For a moment, confusion flickers across Toni’s features before, once again, they soften, her voice calm and comforting as she asks, “You mean, your brother Jason? I heard how close you guys were.” 

At the statement, Cheryl wants to give her a sad laugh, knowing that almost everyone believes she’s only ever loved Jason ━ usually a bit more than what normal, sibling love is defined as. She knows it’s not Toni’s fault, though, and shouldn’t give the girl such a borderline-shallow reaction at the question; if she wants people to know the real human inside of her ━ or, if she wants  _ Toni  _ to know ━ then she’s going to have to express some tough emotions, and come to terms with some personal demons.

“No, not JJ,” Cheryl manages to get out, collecting herself quickly in preparation for what she’s about to spill. “Her name was… Heather.”

Her eyes flicker to Toni, attempting to read the girl and how she reacts to the confession. Much to her relief (and a sliver of surprise), Cheryl finds no judgment residing within the way her new friend looks at her, only discovering traces of sympathy and visible admiration. 

That, alone, gives Cheryl the strength and courage to recall what happened, back then.

“She was my best friend in junior high,” her words are hoarse, though she manages to keep a reminiscent twinkle in her eye. “She used to sleep over every weekend. Until one night, my mother caught us in the same bed,” the sentence begins to shatter, much like Cheryl, as a whole. “She said I was deviant.” 

With her voice fading, signaling the end of her story, Toni’s care for the girl sitting next to her only grows as she now sees the fragile being under an armor of tactics to deflect others’ invasive pokes and prods. Overall, Cheryl’s exterior and attitude now make more sense: it’s a defense mechanism as a result of what she was raised to think, and how she was raised to handle things. It also doesn’t help that she’s been tremendously scorned and riddled by internal, conflicting thoughts. 

Who  _ wouldn’t  _ be fucked up, after all of that? 

“Cheryl, I am so sorry,” Toni finally says, keeping her tone low, “but you have to know your mother’s wrong.” 

She can see the red-head trying to comprehend what she’s saying, like she seriously wants to believe the words that Toni speaks but is being held back by the walls she’s been protected by for years upon years. Toni sees this, deciding to take things further by breaking down the girl’s resolve little by little in hopes that some light finally seeps in.

“You’re not loveless,” her eyes shimmer with something along the lines of optimsm. “You’re  _ not  _ deviant, okay?” 

Now, it’s obvious that she fully has Cheryl’s attention, maybe surprising the girl by letting her know that she was completely listening to everything she just explained ━ even on a deeper level. Long gone is the Cheryl Blossom she knew from this morning ━ the one who tried sizing her up in the bathroom, and slapped a comforting hand away ━ as the cold figure is replaced by a delicate, need-to-be-loved human being with eyes that plead with her to not take any of these words back. 

Because, for once, Cheryl knows she needs to hear them, and Toni is also well aware. 

With a newfound-yet-slow determination, she grabs the top of Cheryl’s hand as it rests on the counter, giving her an ounce of physical comfort to let the girl know that, despite anything that’s happened, she’s not alone in whatever she’s facing. Cheryl looks at her in mild surprise, listening to the tail end of Toni’s statement, “You’re sensational,” as she speaks with a gentle smile on her face.

It takes a good amount of seconds before Cheryl really registers the conversation they just had and the gesture that ultimately solidified this kindled friendship between them, but, when she does, Toni is the next to be surprised when the girl slowly turns her body and places her other hand atop of theirs, mutually showing as much affection as she can muster. Sure, the shyness is still there, and a few of those butterflies from earlier have resurfaced in such a new way, but, this time, Cheryl isn’t straying away from whatever the feeling is. New emotions are scary, but sometimes they’re worth it, and she knows she can’t change the course of her life without taking any sort of risk ━ and Toni is certainly making those risks easier. 

 

X X X

 

“I’d thank you for tonight, but I feel like the sentiment stands without saying,” Cheryl’s timidity yet certainty shows as they slowly make their way further into the Pop’s parking lot, the occasional sound of pebbles crunching beneath their feet. 

Toni notices that Cheryl only briefly looks at her every few words or so, almost like she’s afraid of revealing something more after everything they’ve discussed tonight. She doesn’t mention it, however, but hopes, in due time, the other girl grows so comfortable that she becomes her true self ━ someone whom Toni looks forward to meeting and getting to know.

“Mm, I don’t know,” after a moment, her normal, taunting attitude pokes at Cheryl like a good amount of tonight. “It  _ may  _ just make my evening to actually hear it.”

As they come to a standstill, Cheryl gives her an eye-roll while stating, “Thank you… Toni Topaz.”

“And my last name was necessary because…?” she gives her a half-smile, tilting her head to the side.

Cheryl gives her a forcibly dumbfounded look, “Uh, because I’m still Cheryl━”

“ _ Bombshell _ ?”

With the size of Toni’s “seriously, this again?” type of smile, Cheryl begins to laugh as she crosses her arms and looks down at her feet, the brunette following suit and showing that she’s had a nice time.

Nearby, Cheryl soaks in the feeling of warmth and a moderate degree of freedom, basking in the idea that, maybe, tonight marks the beginning of a new self-image, even if it takes a while to achieve the full picture. Toni has given her a lot to think about, both in regards to herself and how she perceives those around her. Okay, so maybe she won’t stop being that same, uppity “snob” that the majority of Riverdale’s society treads in the opposite direction of, but that doesn’t mean she can’t find peace within herself. Shit happens, and it’s going to hurt for a while ━ sometimes forever ━ but learning from the past is what healing looks like. And it’s been a while since she’s allowed herself to heal.

“I really do thank you, though,” Cheryl surprises both of them by speaking up, Toni’s attention back on her. “Not for just keeping me company, but… assisting me in seeing a new perspective of what’s happened.”

Toni smiles, “You’re welcome.”

With the look on the other girl’s face, Cheryl’s confidence begins to falter as the fluttering sensation grows too substantial to deal with, not knowing how to handle something so new and pretty damn confusing as brown eyes bore into her so attentively. 

“Um,” to distract herself, Cheryl begins to refile through her small bag, finding a small pile of sticky notes and a pen.

She’s watched the entire time, and she can almost feel Toni’s gaze burning into her face as she writes on the small square of paper, purposely trapping her bottom lip between her teeth and giving a small chuckle to nothing in particular. Finally, within seconds, she finishes writing her number on the sticky note, giving it to the brunette with a small “Here.”

Of course, Toni looks down at the paper, seeing Cheryl’s number sketched down in the middle as two, iconic yet cliché cherries are designed on the top corner of the sticky note.  _ Figures Cheryl would even buy sticky notes that are personality-explanatory, _ she smirks.

“I don’t want you to think I only needed someone willing to listen. You’re…” again, Cheryl’s confidence takes a nosedive, this time having to clear her throat and force something a little more solid as she continues, “you’re loads different than how I first judged you.”

“Is that good?” as always, Toni tries to get something more, her smirk lingering as her eyebrows raise in expectancy.

Similar to every other time, Cheryl dodges her provocative question, though, in this instance, she begins to walk away with a smirk of her own as she departs with a flirtatious “Goodnight, Toni.”

“Are you sure you don’t need a ride home?” it’s a final effort to get the other girl to stick around a little longer, but it’s brushed off quickly, though with a more intriguing response than the former:  _ “How very chivalrous of you, but I’m good.” _

“Ask me next time,” she can practically see the other girl’s smile from across the pavement, Toni pursing her lips and shaking her head in a certain (smitten) dumbfoundedness before Cheryl disappears behind the diner’s other corner and a car’s engine starts, seconds later.

She watches her leave, making sure everything is okay and Cheryl is on her way home before looking at the sticky note still in her palm, ending the night with a smile and a great evening of memories and heartfelt conversations to look back on. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone enjoys the new episode tonight (despite the heart-stopping promo)!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An extended version of the 2x15 Choni scene before the Thistlehouse will-reading.

A long string of silence interrupts their thick conversation, feeling like a tension-ridden century passes following Cheryl’s statement about simply augmenting Toni’s wardrobe for the occasion. Truth be told, Toni wasn’t necessarily paying attention to the words as her mind feels way too clouded by the way brown eyes are boring into hers, their movements doing most of the talking.

It’s been like that for days ━ somehow even via texting ━ and they’ve grown closer within that time. Long gone are Toni’s internal questions about whether or not she’s able to call Cheryl a friend just yet. Now, she constantly finds herself thinking about her friendship with the red-head, plus what it’s evolving into. And she knows she’s not the only one who feels it, making everything ten times stronger whilst fuzzier. 

Sometimes ━ much like now ━ she catches the way Cheryl’s eyes flicker between her eyes, occasionally drifting down to her mouth before it’s played off as something “platonic” or relatively normal. It’s interesting, they both think, because it didn’t take as long as they figured for them to grow closer. After that night at Pop’s, everything just seemed to━ 

“What is going on in here, Cheryl?” almost before the door is fully opened, Cheryl’s mom all but flies into the room, buzzing around like a wasp trapped by a corset. 

The sound of her name makes Cheryl’s body noticeably stiffen, the question sounding all too close to a demand of some kind. Toni catches onto her friend’s posture, quickly making the decision to distract everyone from the tension with a friendly introduction, despite the daggers being thrown in her direction.

“Mrs. Blossom,” Toni uses her natural lightness. “Hi, I’m Toni Topaz. I’m a friend of Cheryl’s from school, and she’s lending me an outfit for the will-reading.”

Both younger girls find the excuse to be plausible (and not necessarily a wrongful excuse), their cheeks rounding into smiles in hopes that Mrs. Blossom will accept it and be on her way. Unfortunately, Penelope decides to keep up with her title of “one with the least tact.”

“And why on Earth would  _ you  _ be there?” at first, her eyes look like they’re directing the question at Cheryl, as if there’s an underlying lecture within the midst of the inquisition until she points the remainder of her sentence at Toni. 

For once, her mother’s wrath doesn’t exactly make her cower with an uneasiness in her gut, and, this time, Cheryl feels downright dumbfounded by the rudeness coming from her mother. She’s a cold woman, that’s for sure, but she’s not even  _ trying  _ to keep up with her “pristine reputation” anymore. Cheryl frowns.

“I invited her,” her voice is cautious, low and even-toned before adding, “to be my emotional support.”

There’s a slight twitch that follows once Mrs. Blossom hears the reasoning, ready to dispute whatever response her daughter gives until she hesitates and gives up on the impending argument. 

“Just make sure you’re downstairs before the guests start to arrive,” it’s still said with force, Penelope never lacking that sourness. “We need to present a united front against those scavengers.”

The two girls further into the room watch Mrs. Blossom’s eyes linger on the brunette for a second longer, nonverbally sending some kind of message that Toni can’t fully pick up on ━ not that she wants to. 

Once the older woman is gone, Cheryl waits for Toni to say something about the encounter, a stirred feeling of embarrassment coming and going; she knew her mother wouldn’t be welcoming in the least bit, but she didn’t presume she’d reject a friend entirely. Well, on the other hand━ 

A disgusted sound breaks her internal monologue, coming from Toni before she hears, “She’s a nightmare.”

Cheryl wants to laugh, thinking how that’s an understatement. 

The only thing she can muster is a tired “Isn’t she, though?” while turning to the brunette, part of her wishing to apologize for her mother’s harsh attitude and the toxic environment she carries with her.

There’s a pause in the miniature conversation, broken by a wistful sigh and Toni walking away to sit on the edge of the bed while claiming, “At least you’re nothing like her.”

That’s certainly not something Cheryl was expecting.

“Wow,” the red-head purses her lips as she turns around to face the other girl, “I’ve always been told the exact opposite. Cheryl Blossom… the mini-me of Penelope ‘that bitch’ Blossom.” 

She begins walking over toward the bed where Toni sits on the edge, plopping herself down next to the girl with a distasteful “Followed by ‘heir to the tainted, drug-money fortune of a crooked murderer.’”

Again, there’s a pause, this one feeling a level more deafening than the previous one as Cheryl waits for a response. She plays with her hands as she sits, picking at her nails while Toni peeks at what she’s doing.

“It could be worse.”

Toni’s statement is so honest that it catches Cheryl off-guard, raising her chin to look at the brunette as her face remains blank; the red-head isn’t sure if it was supposed to be comforting or imaginative, but, either way, she begins to laugh.

“What’s so funny?” Toni asks, albeit through her own chuckle. 

“I’m not used to people countering everything I say,” she’s honest. “It’s… eye-opening.”

Something about the way the phrase “eye-opening” falls from Cheryl’s lips makes Toni narrow her eyes, the claim sounding doubtful and misused. It only makes her laugh a little more, however, especially when she pokes holes in the girl’s declaration.

“Are you sure that’s the description you want to go with?”

Cheryl wants to keep laughing and have a nice time like they’ve been, she really does, but, as more time passes with them sitting on the edge of the bed, she can’t help but think about what the future might bring. She wants to be happy, and she wants to be happy with Toni by her side, but… the way her mother acted _ just now _ …

How can they possibly make that happen?

“Toni,” her name is almost inaudible, Cheryl looking away, “whatever happens today…”

“Why are you saying it like that?” it comes with a frown, Toni partly twisting her body toward her friend.

Silence, but Cheryl mutually faces her with her lips parting; she clearly wants to say something, but no words have the strength to exit her throat. 

“It’s a will-reading,” Toni continues with a subtle grin. “Not the start of a war.”

“With my mother, it may as well be,” she whispers, trying to match the brunette’s tiny smile with one of her own, but it’s more sad than anything.

“Hey,” the other girl’s tone mimics hers, “it’ll be over before you know it. I’ll be right there.”

Brown eyes stare at her, shiny and vulnerable; as far as Toni can tell, Cheryl’s never had this kind of encouragement or person to lean on. Maybe a long time ago ━ maybe in the form of Heather ━ but not anytime recent. That takes a toll on someone.

With a bigger, genuine smile and tone designed to sway Cheryl into being a little more optimistic, Toni throws out the reminder, “Emotional support, remember?”

When, yet again, another wave of silence hits ━ this one a result of Cheryl not knowing what to say as her thoughts swirl with gratitude and urges to make her take a leap of faith ━ Toni prompts another, small gesture of affection when she opens her hand and presents it to the girl sitting next to her. It’s mainly designed to be a question, silently asking Cheryl,  _ “Are you with me?”  _ without actually doing so, and the red-head picks up on it quickly. 

The motion comes with a smile, Cheryl delicately sliding her fingers between Toni’s and clasping their hands together as they rest on the brunette’s thigh. Their eyes meet again, both girls smiling in an overwhelmingly cheesy light, but whatever silent conversation they were having is broken up when Cheryl breathes out a quiet laugh again, earning an inquisitive look from the other girl.

“Are you going to make me thank you again?” it comes through a forced whine, Cheryl still grinning as Toni rolls her eyes with a smirk.

“Well, I guess not,” she makes her response sound dull and annoyed. “Wouldn’t want the expressed gratitude to kill you on the way out,” it’s emphasized, causing them both to laugh harder and ignore whatever distress is bound to come soon later. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I know these one-shots are pretty much coming super delayed since we’ve passed these scenes weeks ago, but I didn’t want to start posting gap fill-ins from the most recent episodes before the old episodes because then it’d be super out of order and my OCD would keep me up at night (even more so than I already am). THEREFORE! Just wait it out, I guess. I have prompts from (almost) every episode since their initial, movie + Pop’s date (which, yes, I call it a date), and, once hiatus comes around, I’ll likely think of some unseen moments. No one’s complained to me thusfar, but I felt the need to explain because part of me does feel a little guilty for not being so prompt (excuse my pun) posting gap fill-ins around the same time when the original scenes air.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A nighttime scene between Cheryl and Toni, soon after the dinner with Mrs. Blossom and Uncle Claudius ━ Taking place in 2x15.

“I can’t believe you almost started choking when he mentioned that…  _ unforgettable  _ island,” Cheryl forces herself to roll her eyes, not wanting to give into the childish humor even though, she’ll admit, it’s all been a great time.

“Oh, don’t act like you didn’t find that funny,” Toni jabs at the other girl, the two walking down Thistlehouse’s front pathway as they make their way toward the street. “I saw the smile on your face.”

“I was smiling at  _ your  _ reaction to it. I don’t laugh at those jokes,” it’s evident in her choked-up voice that she’s holding back even more amusement than she was at the dinner table, Toni glancing at the red-head and tilting her head to the side with a pointed, “you can’t be serious” type of look.

“That’s a total lie,” she disagrees. “ _ Anyone _ would’ve laughed at that. Your mom may have even wanted to,” the addition to her claim comes just as they reach the massive front gate, Toni’s impending exit making Cheryl want to delay her leave more and more.

“Mother would never,” her brown eyes bulge, looking away with a wiped-out grin across her face.

“Like I said… at least you’re nothing like her,” Toni’s voice quiets, leaving the two to stare at each other in a state of slight longing and mental reading with silence consuming each and every corner of Cheryl’s front yard.

It’s been an absolute whirlwind of a time here at Thistlehouse, Toni recalls ━ getting to know Cheryl’s mother being the top instigator of the whiplash type of feeling. From the very beginning, she’s been a tough cookie to really get a read for ━ well, other than the knowledge of her coming off as a bitch ━ and, as Toni’s stay at the house (being there for Cheryl) grew longer, it was evident that Mrs. Blossom’s attitude was either going to stay the same or only deepen as hours passed. 

Even at the will-reading, as her daughter’s eyes rolled back and she collapsed onto the floor, Penelope’s fear wasn’t for Cheryl; she actually used the moment of the younger girl being out cold as an opportunity to kick all guests ━ including Toni ━ out of the oversized home.

Toni remembers it clearly:

_ “Cheryl?” at the sight of her new friend’s body going limp as it crashes to the floor like her soul just decided to up and leave its physical form, Toni stands up along with most of the reading’s attendees, whispers being sent back and forth. _

_ “Ah━um…” the man leading the small ceremony sounds like he’s not sure how to go about the situation, but a silent word is tossed to him by Mrs. Blossom who gives him a curt nod. _

_ Within seconds, he apparently knows what he’s doing, gesturing to the front door with a quiet “If everyone would please… clear the room.” _

_ Toni doesn’t care about what he’s saying, however, and attempts to step around a display in front of the podium where Cheryl stood, but she’s stopped when Penelope makes a sort of tutting noise, followed by her boney hand shoving the young brunette with a curt “Move.” _

_ Mrs. Blossom passes her, acting as if she was worried about Cheryl from the get-go. Toni saw what really happened at the initial fall, on the other hand, and her eyes narrow. Before she can assist in moving or at least getting Cheryl to come through, Penelope looks up at Toni from where she’s crouched over her daughter, all but stating, “Your services here are no longer needed.” _

_ It isn’t within Toni to play nice at the moment ━ not with Cheryl lying there practically lifeless ━ and she reacts to the woman’s underlying taunt with a look that portrays how dumbfounded she feels. _

_ “My ‘services’?” _

_ For the first time in a while, the brunette regrets showing her true feelings on a certain subject, pinpointed when Cheryl's mother looks up at her again with a certain glint in her eyes, almost as if she knows she’s found an access of weakness and intends on extorting it. _

_ The woman gets up slowly, putting on a tight-lipped smile simultaneously as Toni stands there, arms limp at her sides with an incredulous frown crossing her mouth. _

_ “Pardon,” Mrs. Blossom excuses herself with a tone that’s the least bit genuine. “Your support.”  _

_ No response from the girl in front of her, Toni simply looking past her to see Cheryl’s eyes flickering slightly while she, herself, looks obvious in the case of wanting to help. Whatever thoughts brewing in her mind are interrupted by Mrs. Blossom within seconds of forming, the woman slipping in front of the brunette’s line of sight to block Cheryl. _

_ “If you’ll be so kind,” again, Penelope’s voice is hard and sharpened, eyes cold while she uses an identical gesture as the man had a minute previously with her hand signaling Toni’s time to leave.  _

_ She doesn’t exit without one last round of hesitation, looking at Mrs. Blossom with parted lips before the woman seemingly gets fed up and says, “Cheryl needs her rest.” _

Looking back now, and remembering how the girl’s mother glanced at her with a twisted grin that made it known it’s clear Cheryl’s safety ━ emotionally or otherwise ━ is a weakness ready to be shot down… maybe she’s right. 

No, no “maybe”; she’s definitely right.

Cheryl means a great deal to her, and it’s happened in such a short amount of time that Toni begins to think about her own past. She’s never been the most hands-on in terms of falling for people. Sure, she has a soft side ━ something that not many people are aware of ━ but that doesn’t mean she trips into liking people so easily. It interests her, truly, to know that Cheryl is known as someone so brash, so rigid to most of Riverdale, yet she’s been the one who has given Toni a run for her money through warmth and wholesomeness ━ a  _ totally  _ different way than she was expecting. And it’s a great thing, Toni acknowledges. 

She smiles at the idea of how close they’ve gotten, having to cross her arms and bow her head as she stands across from the red-head. 

“What?” as Cheryl’s eyes focus on Toni like previously, she has a diluted, prying smile on her face, but the brunette only shakes her head.

“Nothing,” she chuckles, forcing a sigh. “Just… I had a nice time tonight.”

“I did too,” instead of asking the girl if she’s sure like initially thought-up, Cheryl settles for being honest and equally as smitten, her voice treading carefully.

During the course of the following (semi-awkward) silence, Cheryl falls back into her thoughts like she’d been for most of the evening. Although she means it when she agrees with Toni that it’s been a nice night, she can’t help but think about what occurred at the will-reading and the reason why the brunette left during that time. She has a hunch, obviously, especially since her mother was so quick to dismiss her friend’s swift departure when asked about it afterward, but a major part of her wants to know exactly what happened ━ in addition to if Toni’s upset about it.

“I’m sorry about the will-reading,” it comes with a sigh, the red-head actually looking at her friend with vulnerable, mutually apologetic eyes and a subtle head-tilt.

“What do you have to be sorry about?” Toni eases her head forward a fraction, giving the girl a look as if to say she’s silly for believing it’s her problem. “Cheryl, you didn’t plan to pass out.”

It evokes a tiny laugh, Cheryl nodding.

“My family,” she raises her eyebrows in explanation, crossing her arms behind her back and leaning her body against the gate. “It always seems to twist again and again. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse.”

Toni slowly takes a step or two toward the other girl, choosing to lean against the gate with her shoulder as she studies Cheryl, the red-head now looking ahead with the profile of her face illuminated by a nearby, yellow-tinted light.

“I understand,” the brunette finally gives her a half-assed shrug. “Maybe not fully, but… I know a thing or two about twisted families,” she provides a small amount of comfort. “Again, you don’t have anything to be sorry about.”

Cheryl licks her lips without facing the other girl, mouth opening and closing a time or two before the question comes out quicker than she intended.

“I’m hesitant to ask,” her voice doesn’t sound as hesitant as she’d hoped, especially when she turns to Toni so immediately, “but what did mother say to you when I so-abruptly blacked out?”

The question is responded to by Toni’s lips parting, afterwards giving her friend a regretful smile while answering, “I’m sure you have a good guess.”

Instantly, Cheryl’s eyes roll heavily, shaking her head before leaning it back against the tall gate. 

“That woman never ceases to amaze me with what comes out of her mouth,” she takes a breath, again turning her head to see Toni. “Was it that awful?”

“Don’t worry about it━”

“Please,” her eyes plead with the brunette more than the actual word does, and, suddenly, Toni is flashing back to her self-to-self, internal conversation about that new weakness of hers.

“It wasn’t anything I can’t handle,” Toni keeps her tone even, her face less than upset-looking so Cheryl isn’t as stressed about it. “Her looks are worse than anything. Those eyes…” as she mentions it, her own eyes widen, and Cheryl partly giggles. “She just told me that my  _ services  _ were no longer needed, that’s all.”

With a gross taste in her mouth, Cheryl mutters, “Yeah, she’s the servicing extraordinaire.” 

“Look, I don’t want it to bother you,” her reassurance is quick. “She’s not going to say anything that makes me stop seeing you to make sure you’re okay.” 

“Is that really why you came tonight?” breaking her past annoyance, a smile shines through, and Cheryl’s voice goes from chilled to borderline shy ━ an attitude change that Toni won’t get tired of witnessing, or being the cause of. “To my family’s dinner, more specifically.” 

“Mm,” Toni squints, “I also have to make sure you don’t forget to smile.”

It comes with a cheesy grin of her own, Cheryl laughing before shaking her head in order to stop herself from reacting so school-girl-ish, then clearing her throat and attempting to force a facade that’s a little more stone-like.

“ _ Oh _ , well, thank you,” it finally comes with an eye-roll, though she can’t stop the smile that continues to reappear.

“So gratitude  _ does  _ come naturally? Hm.”

“Don’t make me close the door on you before saying goodnight.” 

“This is a gate,” Toni offers the rebuttal ever-so-nonchalauntly while feeling the cool metal beneath her fingertips and earning a glare from the red-head, “but I really should be getting home. It’s late, and I don’t want to give your mother a coronary by  _ over  _ overstaying my welcome.”

A soft laugh follows, Cheryl nodding with a quiet, “Yeah, okay,” despite swallowing hard as she’s disappointed by yet another departure.

“Text me, though?” the next request regains the girl’s attention, Cheryl smiling big and straightening her back out with her signature peppiness.

“Uh, duh,” it’s pointed yet promising. “You didn’t think you were getting out of my double- and triple-texts just because you attended a single family dinner, did you?” 

Toni purses her lips and nods in agreement due to the truth behind Cheryl’s words; sometimes, the girl will text in single words, letters, or emojis, not only to get the brunette’s attention but often to convey even more emotion than the actual caps-lock can.

“Oh, I’d never think that,” her response is delayed but just as pointed, giving Cheryl a look-over that sends chills up both of their spines even though it wasn’t meant to be as heavy as it occured.

This creates another wave of anxiety ━ the  _ best  _ kind ━ and a side of awkwardness as they both internally argue about who is going to walk away first. In the end, Cheryl decides that maybe it’s best to get some sort of upperhand by showing Toni that she’s more confident than what has been (very clearly) portrayed throughout this outdoor conversation. 

She begins to slip through the gate’s opening as Toni watches her, the red-head whispering a slight “Okay” before she’s settled on the other side with a large piece of barred metal separating them. 

“Goodnight,” Cheryl chimes while giving the other girl a partial, flirtatious wave as her thoughts already begin going into overdrive when she sees Toni’s smile and her own, two-fingered wave.

She watches Toni leave while her arms are crossed as a chill passes through the air, the temperature unfortunately mirroring the feeling she gets when she thinks about heading into the house with her mother and newfound uncle puttering around somewhere. A deep breath fills her lungs, however, when forcing those dark wonders out of her mind and replacing them with memories of the night with someone who’s become unbelievably important to her. 

And, for that distraction, she thanks Toni as she gives the girl a smile she can’t see, ultimately bowing her head and walking back into the house.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The girls' thought-process leading up to their almost kiss in 2x16.

“Alright,” Cheryl’s hands clasp together with a big smile, “is everyone settled for the night?”

She looks at her sleepover guests, being responded to with a few _ mhm _ ’s and no questions ━ a reaction (or non reaction) that totally counters the previous one of odd looks being shared in regards to the red-head’s clear eagerness to sleep.

“Goodnight, all,” it’s almost as if she’s shipping daycare children off to bed, acting as the supervisor or instructor instead of a girl who’s been having her closest cheerleading friends for a sleepover. 

Within seconds, she saunters over to the bed where Toni sits on the side of it, paying attention to the way Cheryl moves right before the lamp nearby is being flicked off so the majority of the room darkens. 

Toni bites the corner of her lip, listening to Cheryl get ready for bed and swearing she can feel the girl’s weighted gaze on her cheek. It makes her nervous but equally as eager to slip under the covers with someone whom she’s been flirting with more and more often, especially because she can tell this isn’t just happenstance where she ends up in the same bed as that someone. 

She recalls the look Betty gave her about thirty minutes prior, almost as if she’d been asking what Cheryl’s odd attitude was all about. Toni smiled and shrugged, pretending she had no idea when, really, she felt exactly the same ━ accompanied by a taste of triumph as a result of knowing the red-head’s off-ness was due to their growing bond. At first, Toni tried to question herself in wonder if Cheryl’s attitude was actually in light of recent events with her uncle making himself known and the red-head’s idea that someone is following her, but quickly pushed those theories to the side when noticing that the girl’s temperament has become…  _ calmer _ ━ not darker.

Truly, Cheryl’s attitude hasn’t been off in a less-than-confident type of way, but she’s been simply  _ more  _ confident and less caring about what others think; she’s been beaming with pride whenever finalizing something, like when she uses her wit and charm to get her way without having to be a total bitch about it. Actually, she’s been a little less cuth, as well ━ which, looking back, is likely what got the others’ attention, in the first place.

Otherwise, most of the estranged looks have come from the others in relation to Cheryl’s obvious desire to communicate most with Toni, or having a good amount of her focus directed at her. Take this sleepover for example, and how Cheryl made the sleeping arrangements with little to no input from the others; a “no arguments,” shining smile followed the proclamation that Toni would be in her bed (which, of course, the brunette wouldn’t even care to argue about), and a look or two was exchanged between the other attendees. 

Toni, at the time, only vaguely saw the look they flung back and forth, primarily because she was too zoned in on Cheryl with what probably seemed like the most love-drunk expression anyone’s ever seen. In any other case, Toni would try to tone it down or play it off, but, as her encounters with the red-head begin to add up, she’s starting to care less and less ━ and so is Cheryl. Lately, they can’t exactly help looking so smitten, and they’ve become that cliché, “oh, brother” type of… well, a couple without technically being a couple.

And that’s something Toni constantly chews her lip over. She can practically hear Sweet Pea in her ear, vehemently encouraging ━ nagging, more like ━ her to “seal the deal” with Cheryl. It’s not that she doesn’t want to. Hell, she’d do it right here and now if she could, even in front of the others. The stipulation she’s set that’s delayed her “DTR-ing” with Cheryl is the fact that she promised herself she’d take it at whatever pace the red-head gives her. After all, not much time has passed since Cheryl shared with her that traumatic experience involving her mother and Heather, plus the girl already has so much other drama on her plate. Sure, a relationship isn’t exactly “drama,” but it’s still something to deal with and process.

Maybe Cheryl isn’t ready for that. It’s not like she’s made any bold moves, either.

In Cheryl’s mind, however, she’s attempted to make plenty of bold moves, but some part of her still wants to be cautious with how she approaches this. They’ve moved fast, there’s no question (nor regret), but maybe the reality of everything is still catching up as they awkwardly wait for something to finally happen. 

At one point, as Cheryl sat in front of her mirror getting ready for tonight’s events before anyone arrived, she wondered if the subject of her sexuality would be one to shut away from the rest of the world. It’s not every day that someone of “high caliber” like Cheryl Blossom comes out as bisexual or anything similar to the outside world, and what makes this any different?

_ No, _ Cheryl shook her head at the time,  _ there’s definitely a difference.  _

Unlike those who believe sexuality can change an appearance, she’s tired of internally targeting herself and shooting down each and every feeling that floats to the surface. She wants to be open ━ fully, even with everyone else ━ and she refuses to shove herself back into a closet of wonders and _ what if _ ’s. 

That verdict was supported once the girls arrived for the sleepover, and Cheryl’s internal monologue took a rather intriguing turn when thoughts swirled, telling her to propose a game of “seven minutes in heaven.” She nearly eye-rolled at herself in front of everyone, knowing that not even the likes of Cheryl “Bombshell” Blossom could spin an excuse so synthetic when asked why they’d play that when a good number of the group had boyfriends, and the remaining member (Toni and herself excluded) was straight. But, oddly enough (or believable enough), she doesn’t think she’d care if faced with the question; anything to get Toni alone for a few minutes holds a certain validity and thrill. 

Then again, that would’ve meant putting the brunette on the spot in front of everyone, and that’s something Cheryl wouldn’t enjoy going through with. Sure, maybe Cheryl, herself, is fine with waving her identity-colored flag of self-growth all over the place, but there’s still the question of whether or not Toni is ready. Toni is out of the closet ━ or so they’ve discussed ━ and she’s content with who she is, but what if she’s not okay with being who she is with Cheryl,  _ specifically _ , as her other half? 

_ No, that’s not possible,  _ Cheryl thinks to herself again with an eye-roll; Toni completely derailed that theory the other day when the two met up for a rainy-afternoon lunch at Pop’s:

_ “Fangs and Sweet Pea were asking about you, the other day.” _

_ Toni’s voice comes out of nowhere, the two previously finishing up their lunches with only chatter here and there. Although they’ve been quiet for a good portion of their time together, nothing awkward has clouded the space around them; they’re simply enjoying each other’s presence and keeping one another close, just soaking in the opportunity to stay warm as a storm moves into Riverdale. _

_ Due to the former silence and Toni’s lack of discussing Cheryl’s existence with her friends ━ or so she assumed, until now ━ the red-head straightens her back out in confusion, looking at the brunette who sits across from her in the booth.  _

_ “About…  _ me _?” Cheryl makes sure she heard correctly, knowing her track record with the Serpents ━ aside from Toni ━ isn’t the cleanest, nor has she yet made an attempt to fix that.  _

_ “Well,” the brunette finishes chewing her lunch, afterwards lightly clearing her throat, “about why I’m always with you, more specifically.” _

_ “Oh,” at the other girl’s unreadable tone, Cheryl suddenly thinks that’s a bad thing, like her friends began grilling her for even relatively standing next to a Blossom. _

_ Cheryl wipes her hands with a napkin, finishing her food and taking some time to come up with an excuse that Toni can run with: “Just tell them I’m paying you to help me with something academic.” _

_ Toni wants to snort at Cheryl’s reply for a variety of reasons, the red-head’s academic status and overall need for an excuse being at the forefront of those reasons.  _

_ “Okay, Cheryl,” she can’t help but chuckle a little, “you’re a straight-A student. Sometimes even  _ beyond  _ that, and I didn’t even know that was possible.”  _

_ The end of her miniature lecture is pointed, Cheryl chewing her inner cheek and looking at the table with her arms crossed atop it. Toni, in the padded bench across from her, continues with a silly “You don’t need help with anything academic” that only earns another wave of silence from a hard-thinking Cheryl. _

_ “Besides, I already told them I’m always with you because I━” Toni stops herself, the following words dying in her throat as a wave of nervousness sweeps over her. “Because I’m fond of you.” _

_ Cheryl smirks at the term,“‘Fond’?”  _

_ In response, Toni rolls her eyes with a smile as Cheryl halfheartedly teases, “Look at you, soaking in some of my pristine vocabulary. Color me impressed, Miss Topaz.” _

_ “‘Fond’ isn’t even that new of a word,  _ Miss Blossom _ ,” the brunette’s voice deepens in order to mock the other girl properly, deadpanning with a subtle grin hidden behind her forced expression. _

_ “Deny what you will,” while slipping out of the booth in order to walk over to the bathroom, Cheryl’s voice is uppity, “but it’s new for  _ you _.” _

_ Toni rolls her eyes again, watching Cheryl move closer and closer until she’s caught off-guard when the red-head leans down to her ear and whispers, “And I’m still impressed.” _

All jokes aside on Cheryl’s part, during that moment when Toni confessed that she was open with her friends ━ siblings, practically ━ about her feelings, a sort of realism made her heart skip a beat. It just makes things all the more real, and there’s a heavy load of excitement that comes with the knowledge that Toni isn’t making her feel these things just so she can turn around and pretend they aren’t happening; the brunette is just as smitten as Cheryl is.

“Are you okay?” Toni whispers, breaking Cheryl out of her thoughts as they’ve both been staring at the ceiling for minutes.

Cheryl hardly remembers lying down or seeing Toni follow suit, her mind blanking as imaginative thoughts bite at her.

“Of course,” she pretends to fully know that she’s being honest, keeping her voice quiet but also light. 

In reality, her confidence falters tremendously, feeling like she’s lost the spark that got them into bed, in the first place; no longer does she have a firm handle on the situation, nor can she capitalize on her courage with a bold move. 

She wonders if it would be best ━ or easiest ━ to just flip over onto her side, shimmy forward, and kiss Toni like her life depends on it, or if she’d be able to regain some of her confidence by teasing the brunette for an hour or so before the next move is made for her. Scenario after scenario plays through her mind, going back and forth with options while knowing that this is probably one of the prime opportunities to take advantage of something so intimate between them as they share a bed. Then again, what if the other girls aren’t asleep━

They hear a slight snore, Cheryl and Toni simultaneously looking down at the edge of the bed before relaxing again. With that, there’s no more reason to delay anything.

Cheryl takes a deep breath, ready to finally open her heart and make a big move. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a random note: I'm aware there's a lot going on in Cheryl's life outside of her relationship with Toni, but, for these, I've decided that I want to minimally focus on that unless it's a contributing factor to their relationship. For example, I haven't mentioned much of Cheryl's struggle with her mother and/or uncle, or her past, and that's because I'm mostly trying to give us the Choni development we didn't get to see. With that being said, I will be touching upon the conversion therapy storyline and how that contributes to what Cheryl feels ━ and that's also a TW for an impending one-shot.
> 
> ALSO! I, for one, cannot wait until I'm finished (or mostly finished) writing these painful scenes for Cheryl. Maybe then we can get to some fluffy stuff.
> 
> But, yeah… thanks for coming back and reading these, each time!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Toni visits Cheryl and Nana Rose in the hospital ━ Taking place hours after the 2x16 sleepover.

Cheryl picks at her nails as she sits cross-legged atop an uncomfortable armchair in Nana Rose’s hospital room. She wears an old sweater of hers and a half-assed attempt at her usual makeup ━ a result of her giving up halfway through the process with tears springing into her eyes before leaving the house for this hospital visit. Either way, she knew she’d look like crap once she arrived, either because of her lack of usual appearance or because she’d been on the verge of tears ever since they carted her nana away in the ambulance ━ or both. 

She takes a breath while her ears try to tune out the beeps of various machines and monitors as much as possible, though no amount of distraction seems to help. Nurses rushing past the room with incoherent shouts and demands of patients don’t help, either. There’s also a lump in her throat that she can feel whenever she swallows hard, particularly due to the massive amount of questions and theories tangling within the walls of her mind as she recalls the order of events ever since her uncle ever-so-mischievously showed up. Her arms wrap tightly around her midsection, looking at the floor.

Deep inside, Cheryl wants to believe he’s an okay guy, and that he has plenty of reasons for staying away from the family before showing up in the middle of her father’s will-reading uninvited (or maybe not). In fact, she wants to believe the majority of her family members are far more moralistic than they present themselves, despite anything they’ve put the town through, despite anything they’d put Jason through, and despite anything they’ve put  _ her  _ through. She wishes to be proud of her family, and wishes to go back to the days where she was honored to chime in and proclaim that she’s part of the Blossom sanction. 

Unfortunately, nowadays, that surname seems to hold a heavy batch of wrongdoings and harm above anything “great” that they’d done previously ━ or what Cheryl believed to be actual success rather than faux progression. 

She shakes her head as she sits, blinking hard and trying to clear her head even though it pounds due to the lack of sleep and quiet she’s gotten in the past however-many hours. Her eyes drift to the clock high up on the wall, trying to piece together what happened at what time, starting with her nana “tripping” down the stairs. Her teeth bite on her inner cheek; it’s still up for debate whether or not Nana Rose falling was an accident.  _ Well,  _ she thinks,  _ not necessarily debate, however no confirmation, either.  _

Forever stained is her trust by the conversation she eavesdropped on, remembering how spiteful her mother and uncle sounded as they━ 

“Your uncle Claudius and I are heading out.”

Cheryl looks up, eyes reddened and nose a shade pink with her lips parting. She wants to question her mother’s motives right there and then, especially with the woman looking as if she’s about to attend a formal brunch, all dressed in bright colors with her hair done as usual. 

“What about Nana?” is the only thing she can muster, feeling surprised about them leaving for whatever reason, though she knows she shouldn’t since they’ve been lingering in the hallways for most of this visit.

“She’s in a hospital bed, Cheryl,” of course, the response belittles her daughter’s efforts to get them to stay. “She’s not going anywhere,” her eyes dart to the old woman lying in the bed, asleep with her mouth somewhat opened. “I’m sure you’ll do good to enjoy the walls of a quiet hospital. It’ll give you some time to think,” her eyebrows raise when she looks back toward her daughter, watching the girl only turn away with no space for a goodbye. 

With the sound of heels clicking over the room’s threshold and down the hallway, Cheryl looks up at Nana Rose again and wonders if she’s dreaming about anything, or replaying her life’s events with a mixture of regret and sadness, or possibly a tinge of happiness for the better memories.

It makes Cheryl think about her own memories, ranging from ones including her family to what she’s been experiencing for the past week or so. Of course, a certain brunette is at the forefront of her mind, being the only light at the end of her life’s tunnel of hell. Unfortunately, Toni’s mental presence only makes Cheryl’s heart falter more and more, knowing she’s been ignoring each and every text she’s received and remembering how she kept her composure monotonous when sending the brunette away once her nana was driven away in the ambulance.

_ “Do you… do you need anything?” Toni hesitates as her voice cracks slightly, not knowing how to provide Cheryl with comfort for the time-being ━ not when the red-head continues to hug herself tightly as if she doesn’t want to be touched by anyone else. _

_ No response. _

_ Again, the girl tries to get through to her with a little batch of encouragement, “You should relax for a little.” _

_ “I’m not going to be relaxing anytime soon,” it’s a little more forceful than intended, the night’s events catching up to her while she can feel her breath becoming restricted as if she’s bound to have a panic attack right where they stand ━ right in front of her friends, and Toni.  _

_ Her mouth opens and closes, turning to the others and putting on a tight, masking smile while saying, “You should go home.”  _

She can almost see their reactions clear as day, the girls all turning to each other like they were silently debating on arguing. Even Toni looked toward Betty, seeming like she’d been wondering how to deal with this situation ━ seeming like, suddenly, handling Cheryl had become something new and frightening to her.

Cheryl puts her head down, taking her bottom lip between her teeth with a single tear trailing down her cheek; she didn’t mean to make Toni feel like helping (or attempting to help) was a lost cause. The look on the girl’s face…

She shakes her head, wanting to curl into a ball atop of the armchair as her nana softly snores nearby. 

Her self-loathing (and loathing, in general) is put to an immediate end, however, when she hears a bit of rustling near the entrance to the room. She looks up slowly, face slightly dropped as a result of being disturbed by whoever-the-hell, but is surprised to see Toni shuffling through the doorway with a sad smile on her face.

Cheryl all but slaps the tears from her cheeks, sniffling and standing up.

“Toni,” once she’s standing, the brunette tilts her head to the side and opens her arms for Cheryl who opts to all but crash into the comfort because, fuck, she could use it right now.

A wave of warmth engulfts her, also extracting another round of watery eyes because, for whatever reason, Toni’s openness and presence makes the world around them feel a little less unfair, a little less unforgiving. 

She pulls back after another minute, looking at Toni as her arms fall to her sides.

“What are you doing here?” the red-head chooses to ask, eyebrows furrowed. “And how’d you know I’d be here?”

“To answer both questions… I figured you wouldn’t want to be alone,” Toni responds honestly. “I knew you’d stay by your nana’s side, and I wanted to be by yours.”

For the first time in hours, Cheryl gains the strength to smile, and it gives Toni a push to continue in hopes that maybe she can brighten the other girl’s day a tad more.

“Still continuing with that emotional support,” she smirks as she says it, successfully extracting another smile from Cheryl before, to her surprise, she’s nonverbally asked for another hug which she quickly provides.

Once they pull back, Toni studies Cheryl’s face even though the girl turns her cheek partly, wanting to duck her head and pretend that she doesn’t look like a trainwreck in front of the girl whom she nearly kissed at their sleepover. To hide herself, in a way, Cheryl turns around and gestures to the chair where she’s been hunched over for hours on end, moving the blanket to the side and muttering, “Here,” so Toni will accept the offer.

Toni appears hesitant to sit, mostly because Cheryl begins to pull up a hard, metal chair to sit beside its cushioned counterpart. Her choice is made up rather quickly, though, because she doesn’t feel like giving Cheryl a hard time when the girl is looking  _ that  _ haunted by the events that have unfolded. She sits down as the other girl follows suit, their chairs pushed close together in a way that silently tells Toni how the red-head wants some sort of contact to make her feel less…  _ alone _ . 

She continues to look at Cheryl, hoping the girl will open up to her even if it creates additional pain in her chest; maybe if she got things out in the open, her mind would clear up a little more and she’d be able to breathe better. 

“Did you stay here all night?” once she doesn’t speak, Toni initiates conversation with great sympathy, additionally reaching out to wipe the girl’s cheek when a random tear falls, and Cheryl melts in the process. “You look exhausted.”

A five-second silence follows, ended by Cheryl bowing her head. 

“I felt horrible after I made everyone go home,” she says honestly, clearly angry with herself. “ _ So _ horrible that I couldn’t stand the thought of sticking around once the EMTs and questions thinned out.” 

Toni listens, forehead creased.

“I’m sorry I said that you should go home after you tried to help, and I’m sorry for ignoring your messages,” when she lifts her chin, her eyes are shimmering. “I didn’t mean to sound so frank or seem unwanting of your comfort.” 

“You were scared, Cheryl. I knew it had nothing to do with me,” her voice is tender and engulfing, the red-head wanting to drown in her security, “but you should’ve told me you were coming here. If you told me where you were, I would’ve visited sooner, or at least brought you some better food than from the hospital cafeteria.”

Silence.

“You  _ have  _ eaten, right?”

More tears follow, Toni’s mouth opening in a sort of realization before shimmying to the edge of the seat and taking the other girl’s hand.

“Come on, we’ll find you some food. A snack, at least.”

“I have no appetite,” Cheryl looks up at Toni, crying, as the brunette stands in front of her with a frown. “I’m too mortified by the possibility that…”

Toni flashes back to Cheryl making the accusation that this wasn’t an ordinary fall down the stairs, her stomach sinking.

“You really believe this wasn’t an accident, don’t you?” she makes sure to sound reassuring of the theory rather than judgmental, wanting to hear Cheryl instead of turning away the idea as a crude attempt to simply ease her worries.

Cheryl gives her a sad smile, “When you’ve lived with people as cunning and sometimes sadistic as my family for as long as I have, you don’t just believe. You  _ know _ . Proof provided or not… you know.”

The brunette nods, more so to herself, whilst remaining silent at the explanation; whether or not she can clearly see everything adding up, she trusts and believes Cheryl enough to be on her side of this. 

Whatever it takes, Toni will be there for her. 

With a small pause preceding, Toni squats down so she’s kneeling in front of Cheryl who stays seated, her sad, brown eyes now flickering between the brunette’s sympathetic gaze and her lips. It makes Cheryl miss the moment they were having during the sleepover, and it also makes her want it to happen again. Maybe not right now since the circumstances are unbelievably unwelcomed, but… they’ve gained more from this. She can tell Toni is sticking around by the look in her eyes, accompanied by a gentle smile and tilted head. And, if the brunette’s soothing exterior wasn’t enough to portray how much she cares for Cheryl, the next, two questions solidify it:

“What can I do?” she whispers while staying crouched in front of Cheryl. “Do you need anything?” the same question as hours prior is asked, this time being reacted to in a lighter manner ━ yet equally as quiet.

When she doesn’t get a response aside from sad eyes looking at her with a sort of longing, Toni reinforces the idea with another, quieter whisper: “I will do  _ anything _ , okay?”

Cheryl’s lips part, sucking in a curt breath and swallowing hard before slowly requesting, “Just… stay.” 

It sounds more like a plea even though Cheryl is fully aware that Toni would stay, regardless, and it earns a reassuring smile from the brunette who takes the other girl’s hands in her own, ready to put the red-head’s worries to rest.

“I’ve already decided that I’m never leaving you alone, again.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How about that finale? Gotta admit, it wasn't my favorite, but I'm looking forward to seeing better Choni developments (see what I did there?) in season three. Hopefully, at least.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A look into Toni's thoughts minutes prior to her and Veronica's meeting with Kevin at the SQM tunnel entrance ━ Taking place in 2x17.

The sound of snapping twigs constantly rings in her ear, a gnat or two flying at her skin before she slaps them away while bounding uphill with Veronica. It’s only been minutes since they took a sharp right on foot, down a dirt path and winding through the woods with a faster speed than they’d usually walk. 

_ This is for Cheryl, _ Toni is quick to remind herself whenever she feels her feet growing quickly exhausted, and she’s able to give herself a reason to push forward. It’s not like she hasn’t done this before, either. Well, alright, maybe not the entire “rescue someone from a conversion center” type of mission, but she’s undoubtedly hiked the woods ━ both at night and during the daytime. On the other hand, she hopes Veronica knows where they’re going, mostly because Kevin decided to only meet them at the entrance of the underground tunnels instead of leading them there, and she’s not sure how well-versed her cheerleading comrade is when it comes to navigating. 

Nevertheless, they tread carefully but steadily, the raven-haired girl occasionally talking to herself as if she’s forgotten Toni is by her side.

Toni doesn’t mind it, though; even if Veronica were to speak to her with a real idea of conversation, the brunette’s thoughts are the equivalent of a sticky pot of spaghetti, at the moment. She can’t stop daydreaming about Cheryl, and where the girl is and how she’s doing. If she’s okay, or un-okay, or…  _ God _ . 

She swallows hard, sealing her lips and trudging ahead.

On a related note, another prominent thought in her mind revolves around the phone call that kicked this mission into high-gear ━ a thought which she only began to focus on as she got dressed for this outing: how did Nana Rose know to call  _ her _ , out of all people? Not “Cousin Betty,” not Josie; out of everyone… Nana Rose called Toni.

Toni bites her inner cheek, her mind slowly backtracking to when she visited Nana Rose’s hospital room ━ when she visited Cheryl, more so ━ after the fall (or push) down the stairs. She remembers talking with Cheryl and reinforcing the idea that she’ll never be alone again, and the silence that followed as their eyes met, only to have the moment casually disrupted by Nana Rose stirring in her hospital bed. At the time, neither young girl paid much attention to it, only pegging it down to the old woman dreaming within her medicine-induced sleep despite her flickering eyelids.

Now? Well, now Toni is wondering how much the woman heard, and if that’s how she knew who to call. Maybe, just maybe, Nana Rose heard the sentiment shared between the two girls and knew that Toni would manage to rescue Cheryl above anyone else. If that’s the case, then Toni owes it to Nana Rose to successfully make it through tonight and get Cheryl out of that hellhole of an establishment ━ if you can really call it an establishment.

She owes it to Cheryl, too, especially because the girl is more than likely alone and afraid, tormented by her thoughts and so forth. It hasn’t been that long, no, but solitude and a person being told their life is too twisted to be healthy can take a toll on someone no matter where the period of time stands. As far as Toni is concerned, Cheryl being in that place for a mere millisecond is too long ━ actually, it’s too long for  _ anyone  _ ━ and she should’ve saved her sooner.

Her head shakes in protest of her thoughts, forcefully shoving away anything relating to self-targeting anger or guilt; this isn’t her fault, and she shouldn’t pin it all on herself. If there’s anyone to be angry at, it’s Penelope Blossom. Cheryl warned Toni that this was happening ━ that her mother was planning something, or that she was being targeted by  _ someone  _ ━ and the brunette should’ve taken it more seriously. Her thoughts rage, reminding her that she took it seriously enough but that there was nothing else she could do to help aside from staying with Cheryl and making sure she’s okay. It’s not Toni’s fault.

_ Whatever, _ she thinks. It doesn’t matter whose fault it is ━ or  _ isn’t  _ ━ and all she can hope for is that she’s safely reunited with Cheryl who, after this, deserves a warm bed to stay in and some arms to wrap around her until she’s ready to heal. Because she’ll  _ definitely  _ need to heal. 

Something that Toni has taken the initiative of in order to kickstart the inevitable journey of healing and overall security is her recent decision to invite Cheryl to stay with her until whenever she wants. She folded and stacked a pile of soft, wool blankets, then threw together a pile of Cheryl-esque clothes in case the girl doesn’t even want to relatively go near Thistlehouse. The thought of them staying together ━ even for just a small amount of time ━ made the brunette give nothing in particular a dopey smile and a minute blush upon her cheekbones, having to clear her throat in order to finish getting ready for the night ahead. After that, she━

“You good?” the overwhelming silence must’ve hinted at Toni’s consuming thoughts, Veronica’s brow furrowed while asking the question as her voice is laced with obvious yet diluted concern. 

Despite the brunette’s most-recent thoughts being a fraction more optimistic than during the rest of this trip, the inquisition causes her to fall back on her negative, self-blaming attitude and frustration, those emotions soon extracting something a tad deeper and flat-out scarier as she remembers why they’re doing this.

“What happens if we fail?” she bounces a question back to Veronica who seems stunned by the other girl’s sudden change in determination, stopping in her tracks for a moment as Toni internally blames herself for this pause in momentum.

“Okay, one… we  _ won’t _ ,” Veronica reinforces the idea with raised eyebrows, “and, two, don’t think like that. You’re always so confident. You can’t lose that mindset now.”

It’s met with silence, Toni crossing her arms and looking around the dark woods while keeping her lips sealed; if she says something, her heart may just crumble completely and she’s trying to stick to her natural, independent embodiment. Veronica is right; she’s always portrayed as confident, even if she doesn’t feel it internally, but, this time… 

Toni has too much on the line, and the drearier possibilities are  _ terrifying _ . 

“We’ll get her back,” the lack of response is enough for Veronica to understand Toni’s current thoughts, giving her a sad but convincing smile. “I may not be best buddies with Cheryl, but I’m also sure as hell not letting her stay locked up in some conversion center. I want her out of there just as much as you do.”

She weakly looks at the girl in front of her, arms still crossed.

“So, with two driven gals like you and I,” the raven-haired girl makes her voice lighter, trying to nudge Toni into a better state of mind, “ _ everything _ is possible.”

Her arms uncross with a deep breath, eventually (and half-heartedly) nodding when Veronica mouths the word “Good” just as she begins to walk again.

The conversation doesn’t stop there, however, as Veronica looks around with a casual “May I ask what your relationship with Cheryl is?”

At the continuity of conversation, Toni guesses that Veronica wants to keep them both distracted from the impending (probable) showdown that’s weighing on them, mainly because they only have a short amount of walking distance to go.

“Why?” it’s a little more defensive than she intended, wanting to roll her eyes at herself.

The girl purses her lips while offering the coy explanation: “I’ve noticed things. Plus, it can’t be just a coincidence that she’s suddenly caught being less-than-heterosexual by Penelope right around the same time you two started hanging out.”

Before Toni can get a word in edgewise, Veronica adds, “But I like digging at the gossip’s core for answers before coming to any ultimate conclusions.”

“Someone’s gossiping about us?” not that she cares, but sometimes it’s nice to know what’s going on around them since she and Cheryl have been in their own little bubble.

She smiles shortly, the expression getting a smirk from Veronica who points out, “You’re getting away from the question.”

“I… um,” she clears her throat. “We━”

“That’s about all the confirmation I needed.”

The brunette bows her head as she walks, smiling. Mentally, she vehemently lectures herself for babbling like an idiot, mostly because it completely contradicts how she’s otherwise normally blunt and uncaring about discussing what’s going on in her life. This time, things feel so wholesome and true that she can’t help but gain such a butterflyish feeling in her gut, and clearly Veronica has caught on. 

“So, I’m guessing that’s why she seemed so… _ moonstruck _ … at our little girly sleepover. You know, before the trip from hell happened,” her recollection ends dully, Toni raising her eyebrows.

“Yeah, I guess.”

“Mm,” the dismissive answer makes Veronica roll her eyes with a grin. “Well, I’m glad someone’s finally come to understand Cheryl.”

The comment sparks something in Toni, a bit crudely reminding her of the times she’d wanted to get to know Cheryl (before everything) while everyone else wanted to run away. She thinks about how easy it was to get to know the girl once she showed that she wasn’t bound to leave ━ once she proved to the red-head that she isn’t some charity case and, instead, is an actual human being that deserves the world. 

“It wasn’t difficult,” her voice is a little pointed, sharp and irritated ━ not at Veronica, specifically, but at everyone who didn’t give Cheryl a chance or ran away so easily. “She’s not as closed off as people think. Not unless she can tell they don’t exactly care.”

“I know,” with a quiet tone, Veronica notes how defensive the girl sounds, but doesn’t exactly deny that things have always been rocky between her and Cheryl. “She and I are like… frenemies. Sometimes we can cooperate, sometimes we’ll be running our own version of Smackdown. It’s complicated. Ever since I came here.”

Toni licks her lips in thought, walking carefully around a stump before taking a minute to put her words in order.

“I just think she’d be a better person all-around if people chose to understand her instead of choosing to play into her attitude. They make it too easy,” she’s honest, Veronica nodding beside her. “They’ll never rid her of that fiery Blossom blood, but at least they wouldn’t only see the school’s mean girl. At least they’d see… a  _ person _ .” 

There’s a long pause that follows Toni’s miniature rant, Veronica being able to tell that the girl has thought about this before because of how well she explained herself and her view on things. It also brought the raven-haired girl to another conclusion ━ one which makes her softly chuckle as Toni turns to her, only steps away from Kevin who paces by the tunnel entrance.

“You care about her a lot,” it’s more so knowing instead of speculative, and Toni doesn’t care to deny any ounce of it, responding within a heartbeat. 

“She deserves it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: No shade thrown at Veronica (well, not for this reason, at least), but I think her relationship with Cheryl should've been addressed after the group had saved her from her icy demise and then, not even an episode later, everyone forgot about Cheryl (back in season one). Not sure if it was one of those points where the writers forgot how to make a seamless storyline, or if they really wanted the group to look less than caring of "the mean girl." Either way, I thought it should be brought up because Toni has been the only character to truly show that they care about Cheryl without turning a blind eye in the next moment, despite their minimal scenes together.
> 
> Also, just a heads-up: Next chapter deals with the SQM aftermath, so that's a trigger warning since I go heavy in terms of emotions/thoughts about conversion therapy. I love you all and I don't want to cause any harm, however I'm not going to pave over Cheryl's development coming out of something so horrid, therefore it has to be at least touched upon.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Toni comforts a damaged Cheryl after her time at SQM ━ Taking place in 2x17.

Brown eyes desolately bore into the empty chair in front of where she sits, perched on the very edge of Toni’s worn-out, living room couch with a warm blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Contradicting her posture and ultimate appearance, Cheryl’s heart beats as normal, being an expected change after getting released from ━ or getting pulled out of ━ that dreaded hellhole with bleak walls and the scent of antibiotics mixed with patchouli. 

Nearby, Toni stands in the kitchen, attempting to whip up two cups of warm tea even though she continuously peers over her shoulder to make sure the red-head is still situated comfortably. Normally, Cheryl would tease the girl and smirk at her obvious nerves, but, this time, her lips only stay parted without giving Toni much attention for the time being. 

Luckily for the two of them, this is only the first time since escaping the woods that Cheryl has fully realized how she’s free from that place, almost like the overall situation’s notion is resurfacing and buzzing in her ear, or snapping its fingers in front of her face saying, “hello, remember me?” On the other hand, Toni only stepped out of the room two minutes ago, and that shows how affected Cheryl’s been, and it only foreshadows how muggy her thoughts are bound to remain for upcoming days.

Most of her thoughts come in the form of anger and disbelief, then transition into sadness and disappointment. She tries to come up with a reasoning for places that push one’s thinking into a place far beyond self-hatred, asking herself ━ the universe, in fact ━ why people believe they can “reprogram” another human being’s brain in order to conform with their individual code. Who thinks that’s morally correct, either?

She also re-examines her initial view of conversion centers, suddenly realizing that everything she believed of the concept is actually infinitely worse than what oneself consumes via media. This thought popped up during her first hour at the broken-down building, as well, and she harped on it for most of her time there; at first, she’d thought to herself about conversion centers and strict, old orphanages where everything was greyscale. 

During her stay, after seeing the others either sent to this facility or dropped into it by force like she had been, she began to notice a pattern of them giving into the lesson they were being spoon-fed. Everyone went from individuals to bleak masses within a day, and Cheryl thought about each and every one of them, wondering how they were before Sisters of Quiet Mercy and how they’d be, after.

She thought about how  _ she’d  _ be, after.

A metallic taste kept occurring in her mouth as she endured what else the Sisters threw at her; after a particularly tedious task that they put on her shoulders — a bunch of grueling hours later — she came to a conclusion that was obvious but heartbreaking: conversion centers  _ do  _ work, but only because people become so pained, so mentally altered for the worse, that they simply accept what they’ve been reprogrammed to believe is their fate, or their purpose.

Cheryl wanted to be the one who defied that outcome, though; she felt a drive to become someone who was pushed to the brink of losing it and  _ did  _ snap, but only used that outrage to defeat the demons set against her by a place designed to “cure.” With her time there piling up, however, her chances fell into a grim territory as her eyes constantly brimmed with tears. She slowly crawled into the acceptance stage of grief — a grief about feeling like she’d lost her own life and everyone in it — and everything was tumbling down hill. Her confidence. Her courage. Her happiness. Her memories. Her will to fight back. Her will to stick around and make things better.

Bowing her head, her eyes mist with tears another time, but she swallows hard and glances up when she hears Toni humming to herself. It causes a subtle grin to appear on Cheryl’s face, easing her fears and that former grief.

There’s only one person responsible for why she hadn’t given up, and she’s the owner of the voice that kept pinging throughout Cheryl’s mind, causing her to remember the times Toni would promise that she’ll never let her be alone ever again, the statement unprovoked. 

Regardless of the shithole she was forced into by her mother’s beliefs and cruel tactics, she still believed the brunette; if it was up to Toni, she wouldn’t have been in that predicament —  _ no one  _ would. She would’ve been warm, and they’d be together — just like now. They would’ve shared that comforting, first kiss sooner, followed by a second and third. Cheryl wouldn’t have felt the need to claw at her own skin, and her eyes wouldn’t have stung like she’d been subjected to fifteen layers of smoke and smog within an hour. She would’ve felt free, both mentally and physically, but still would’ve kept herself chained down to earth for Toni’s sake, so they could brave the world together.

There  _ is  _ a lesson in this, though, and Cheryl has found comfort in it, despite the flipped switch that evoked it: there is success within setback, and light within darkness. There’s no use lingering on the past and wondering what could’ve happened, and now she can only focus on staying afloat in the present and future. It’ll be a heck of a lot easier with Toni by her side, she’ll admit, and, for herself, she’d like to try and get better. Cheryl spent way too long in hiding from both herself and those around her, and, noticing how heavy of a lesson this was, it’s time to make some changes.

A part of her wants to chuckle out of dark humor, thinking of how a conversion center had intentions of “curing” her, and maybe they actually succeeded. Unfortunately for them, the cure only took place in an area of her thoughts where her conservative side controlled, clearing her reservations about being who she truly is and freeing her spirit.  _ An internal cleanse,  _ Cheryl thinks while taking a deep breath.

She wonders if the Sisters have called her mother yet to inform her that she’s escaped ━ actually, that she’s been rescued by the girl who’s “corrupted” her daugher with the help of the Lodge’s heiress. The spiteful part of Cheryl sure as hell hopes so; she’d sell her soul to watch her mother’s face drop in disbelief, that smug and synthetic grin being slapped away by each and every possibility of her daughter out on the run with the candid information of how horrible a person she is. Who the hell sends their daughter to an under-the-table conversion camp? 

No, scratch that; who the hell sends their child to  _ any  _ conversion camp? Why take a measly step to torment your offspring when it’s possible to take that same step toward  _ understanding  _ them? 

Although Cheryl wishes she could answer these questions, or at least stumble upon a solid standpoint for each and every one of her “what the fuck” type of wonders, she’s afraid that the responses would only lessen her hopes for future generations; sometimes the answer to a certain question makes you wish you never asked, in the first place, and that’s a fear she’s not willing to gamble with. Not now, anyway. 

Her eyes glance upward when she catches a glimpse of Toni walking toward her, delicately offering a mug to Cheryl with a soft “Here” and earning a tiny smile.

With a short, internal debate, Toni shakes her head at the idea of sitting next to Cheryl on the couch and instead gets situated on the chair right in front of the red-head; although she’d do anything to provide the maximum amount of comfort possible, she currently wants to talk to the girl face to face with no awkward angles pestering the inevitable conversation. 

Cheryl looks at the girl who sits down, also taking a sip from her mug and feeling overwhelmed by the amount of security a mere cup of tea can provide. While she was in Sisters of Quiet Mercy, she had been nervous about consuming anything brought to her by the women weaving in and out of her room, assuming most items were tainted by “antibiotics” or even poison. 

“I debated on offering you alcohol for your troubles, but…” when Toni catches Cheryl staring into the mug for a little too long, her face almost empty, she chooses to get the girl’s attention by joking instead of putting her on the spot.

Successfully, she earns a grin, accompanied by the gracious response: “This is perfect, thank you.”

There’s a following, awkward silence that only reminds the two of what’s happened tonight. Although they’re both relieved by what’s going on around them in the current moment ━ especially knowing that Cheryl is staying with Toni for the night and possibly a few more ━ it’s still a heavy burden to bear knowing the circumstances that brought them here. 

Needless to say, Toni tries to find a way to keep their thoughts less muddy and further optimistic, looking back toward her bedroom and notifying Cheryl, “I folded a bunch of blankets for you, by the way. And there are plenty of pillows, too.”

She turns back to Cheryl, finishing with a quiet “And clothes, in case you’d like something else” that causes the red-head to glance down at Toni’s pajamas covering her body with softness and the warmth that the brunette, herself, has been providing since they got back here. 

The thought makes her smile, whispering, “These are already unbelievably comfy.”

Toni grins, evidently happy to hear that she’s been of great help. The idea of the girl’s happiness coming from Cheryl’s happiness makes the red-head rub her lips together when gathering her bearings, bowing her head and holding the steamy mug tightly between her hands. 

“Considering everything, this is the only real home I have right now,” Cheryl mutters, glancing up at Toni with a tiny smile. “Not in the ‘last resort’ kind of way, either.” 

Her features soften, but her voice becomes more solid as she finishes, “Sincerely, thank you for letting me stay here. I’d never be able to face my mother tonight.”

Her words elicit a sore emotion within Toni’s stomach, but it also gives her an opening to mention what’s happened, so she takes it as the girl in front of her waits for a response.

“Cheryl, no one should ever have to go through what you have. You know that, right?” she only earns a weak nod. “Places like that should be bulldozed. At the  _ least _ . You’re strong to have made it through…” realizing that she has no idea what those at Sisters of Quiet Mercy had really done, she stammers and ends her statement quietly, “… _ whatever  _ they did.”

“I’ll be okay soon enough,” out of nowhere, Cheryl sounds as if she’s trying to convince both of them of something they already know is a fib. 

Her shaking hand places the mug on the nearby end table, Toni watching her every move with furrowed eyebrows; she wonders where Cheryl’s sudden spark in desire to appear strong came from and why it appeared, in the first place, particularly because the brunette thought they were past the stage of faux characterization.

She doesn’t call Cheryl out on it just yet, however, simply studying the girl as she continues, “I already feel refreshed. They just...” and she pauses, her flicker of makeshift courage emptying from her features as her voice dies down and she starts a new sentence: “Nothing I can’t handle.”

“Said no one ever,” finally, with a frown, Toni’s voice cracks slightly. “You don’t have to put on a strong front when I’m around, you know that.”

She probably detected the twinge of pain in the brunette’s voice, like Cheryl had offended her by pretending to be something she’s not ━ a childish stage the red-head has refused to put Toni through; she can be callous and brief with anyone else, but not Toni. Not the girl who’s shown care, compassion, trustworthiness, and everything in-between.

Cheryl takes a deep breath, whispering, “I know.”

“So be honest with me.”

It’s not answered by anything but hesitation and parted lips, but Toni can tell that Cheryl is trying despite her thoughts being stuck in an overload of concerns and  _ what if _ ’s. Because of the conflicted sight and a flicker of watering eyes, the tension in Toni’s body evaporates and, suddenly, all she wants to do is be closer to the girl in front of her. 

She gets up and places her mug of tea near Cheryl’s, then sits down close to the red-head with a body language that displays an opening for physical comfort ━ one that the other girl accepts easily, leaning her body against Toni and feeling an arm wrap around her. Cheryl takes Toni’s other hand, clasping them together and feeling fuzzy inside ━ a feeling that she intends on basking in as she stays here for days to come. 

Hand in hand with the knowledge of security comes a mental shove, as well, Cheryl taking her time putting words together in order to explain herself:

“I know you’re wondering what happened in there, or at least waiting for some, vague detail,” she licks her chapped lips. “Cards on the table… I barely remember, and I don’t think I want to.”

“You don’t have to,” the brunette’s thumb glides over Cheryl’s. “We’ll move forward. You’re out of there, and you’re here,” she smiles. “You’re right here.”

Cheryl nods, her head slightly moving against Toni’s neck.

She continues, “Just keep being real with me. Whatever you’re feeling or going through.”

“I’m trying,” accompanied by a sad look, the red-head’s voice is strained. “People don’t usually ask that of me. Whether they care to know or not…” her shoulders tighten, then slack. “I’m used to being flashy and extra, but not accustomed to providing a reason of why I am how I am.”

“I know,” the girl’s voice is so gentle and accepting that Cheryl resumes her former position, being able to look into brown eyes, “but, if you’d like… we can work on that. Just you and I, even.”

No response, but the silence isn’t rejecting, and Toni takes it as a green-light to explain her assumption. 

“I think you’re more worried about what  _ you’ll  _ think about yourself than what I will,” her words catch Cheryl off-guard, mainly because it’s as if the brunette can read her thoughts and hesitations toward being her genuine self. “And I’m happy you’re not worried about my view of you, but you have to keep trusting me, Cheryl. You have this…  _ amazing  _ soul, and you don’t deserve even half the shit you’ve gone through.”

In spite of her sore, tender heart, Cheryl feels lighter than ever, giving into the way Toni is looking at her with eyes that display more emotion than ever seen prior. Her words don’t even tell half the story, and Cheryl feels engulfed in something that almost has the ability to erase her mind of recent, unfortunate instances. For that, she can’t help but have her eyes flicker to Toni’s lips, wanting to kiss her again and again for being such a beautiful person, inside and out, and she can’t help but wish to ask how she became fortunate enough to find such a memorable person. Cheryl had always found comfort in love stories ━ no matter how cliché ━ but she never really believed that she’d have her own; she didn’t think she had the type of heart that could be cradled by anyone, or the type of heart that people would want to take refuge in, but maybe she just didn’t realize that people like Toni exist. 

Or maybe she just didn’t give the thought a chance.

“Thank you,” it comes without warning, but Cheryl feels relief as the words escape her lips.

Toni’s eyes squint for a split second, but she smirks, “For speaking the truth? Every once in a while, it’s no biggy.”

_ Always the humorist, _ Cheryl rolls her eyes with a smile and a soft laugh.

“No. Well,  _ also  _ for being so upfront, but I meant… for rescuing me,” she bows her head slightly, giving Toni a pair of shy eyes. “I don’t know a lot of people who would do that. Not for me. Not without leaving me, afterwards, or making it seem like saving me was a stunt to clear their conscience.”

Her words hardly hold a flame to what she really wants to say; she wants to thank Toni for rescuing her repeatedly in each and every way ever known ━ and some ways no one has  _ ever  _ known ━ through statements and gestures alike. Much to her dismay, the words don’t come as easily as a simple “thank you” does, and Cheryl is left looking conflicted as everything gets caught in her throat ━ especially when she looks up to see Toni staring at her with infinite love and promises to remain that way. It makes her heart begin to race, and her eyes start to water.

“Let’s face it,” Toni’s next statement begins nonchalauntly, sighing emphatically, “my life would end up being pretty boring if I let you rot in there.”

Although Cheryl smiles at the joke, a tear rolls down her cheek and she remains silent. Toni watches, face dropping instantly as she mentally smacks herself repeatedly for pointedly reminding the girl of something traumatic only hours after she’d escaped it.  _ Idiot, _ she internally hisses.

“Oh, God, I am so sorry,” the brunette looks devastated, moving closer and looking away while ranting to herself, “I shouldn’t be making jokes about━”

Much to her surprise, she feels delicate hands on her cheeks as they pull her in for a silencing kiss, her worries slipping away as Cheryl seems to relax at her own leap. Similar to their first kiss, Toni is reminded of the other girl’s recent tears by a slight dampness as their noses brush, but, this time, she takes comfort in knowing that those tears are apparently a result of happiness. She can even feel Cheryl smiling into the kiss before they back up for a split second, lidded eyes flickering slightly in wonderance if they want to come together again ━ which they do. 

The fingertips on Toni’s cheeks tremble slightly, drifting down to her neck before Cheryl finally, slowly backs up when she feels like she’s bound to fall into the other girl’s lap. They linger close, however, as their noses brush again and smiles are shared with a certain, teenage timidity about their motions. 

It takes a few seconds more for them to back up further, though Cheryl grabs Toni’s hands and plays with her fingers as if she’s trying to distract herself from what else she wants to say.

“Whatever it is that’s on your mind, tomorrow is a new day,” Toni reassures, and Cheryl looks at her with a tilted head. “You’re exhausted, and I can tell.”

“That’s something I won’t dare deny,” it comes with a soft chuckle, the brunette humming.

“Come here,” Toni instructs while adjusting her position on the couch, gesturing to her lap before helping the other girl lie down and draping the blanket over her.

Cheryl happily obliges and lays her head in the brunette’s lap, automatically getting comfortable as her eyes grow heavy. Toni smiles at the position and thinking of how peaceful the girl looks as she rests, fingers running through the soft strands of her hair and keeping her safe while tired, brown eyes begin to close. 

With a smile on her face, she thinks about what she said to Veronica earlier, and how certain she sounded when talking to her, reminding herself of what matters and why she’s willing to go to the ends of the Earth for the girl who cuddles up to her: 

_ “She deserves it.” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this was moderately okay in terms of explaining Cheryl's internal monologue about the SQM situation. Since the show hardly (see: never) dives into her feelings about what happened, I wanted to make it heavy on her mind but also something that gave her optimism for the future since we see her smiley in the next scene she appears. But of course it won't just go away, at least not in my writing, and she'll still be aching in the next one-shot I write which takes place after this one (obviously) and before the 2x17 scene where her and Toni are on the school lounge's couch (which I may also write). You'll see.
> 
> Either way, this one took a bit out of me (as most of my writing for sad/dreary scenes usually does), however I'm happy to have shown everyone a possibility of what happened after her SQM rescue.
> 
> Thanks for sticking with me and reading! & don't forget: my ask box on Tumblr ("capn-charlie") is always open.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cheryl and Toni get ready for school, and have a heart-to-heart ━ Bonus: Cheryl wearing Toni’s clothes ━ Taking place in 2x17; after the SQM rescue, and before the final, Choni couch scene at school.

Toni sits on the edge of her bed, eyes zoned in on Cheryl who has her back turned while currently sifting through the brunette’s clothing. To Toni, the thought of Cheryl wearing her clothes constantly makes her blush, but, up until now, she’s been the only one who’s witnessed the entrancing sight ━ not that she minds, exactly, but today is going to mark a certain milestone that puts their (whatever kind of) relationship out in the open. Sure, friends share clothes all the time, but Toni is pretty positive that absolutely no one has ever witnessed Cheryl Blossom copping someone else’s wardrobe with a smile on her face, and it’s something that makes the brunette’s heart flutter with eagerness. 

She won’t lie: for some time, she wondered if Cheryl would harbor their propelling relationship and keep it on the down-low for only them and a select few others to hold knowledge of, but the red-head has pleasantly surprised her. Of course, if Cheryl ever asked, she’d be more than willing to let things simmer and quiet down in the public’s eye, but something tells her that the girl isn’t afraid of what others are bound to think or talk about. Not anymore, at least. Maybe this is what Cheryl needed all along: a stable relationship with someone who genuinely cares, not daring to hide it or stifle their emotions toward each other ━ not even in front of others.

On the other hand, the surprise is a little less pleasant and more flat-out shocking when Toni recalls what the girl has been through so recently, and she wonders if Cheryl is rushing herself in any way, shape, or form. Before today, the red-head had taken her time healing by staying away from school and simply relaxing ━ something that Toni was proud of her for ━ but it was obvious that she was growing antsy as two days passed. Cheryl isn’t one to be shoved into a room somewhere, nor told how to heal or improve, and Toni doesn’t blame her for wanting to make her way back into the normalness of life. She only worries that Cheryl isn’t doing it out of readiness, but solely based on a desire to convince the two of them ━ and others ━ that she’s not all that damaged by what happened.

She hears the girl hum while rifling through clothing options, Toni smiling and rubbing her lips together at the sight and sound, not to mention the reminder that they’ve been cooped up in a small house together for days. It certainly didn’t take long for Cheryl to get used to the new surroundings, and her nerves hardly showed (if she had any, in the first place), so Toni wonders if being away from her true “home” was one of the biggest components within her healing process.

In fact, it only took one night for Cheryl to be less teary-eyed and more settled, her attitude calming and reverting back to her smitten personality as Toni kept a close watch. One example of that was simple yet strong in a mindless, flirtatious sense, happening just after the two of them woke up, the first morning together.

_ “I can use your shower, right?” _

Toni nearly laughs at the memory and how out-of-place Cheryl appeared when she asked, being able to tell that the girl wanted to mentally smack herself for a question so odd and obvious.

_ “Only if you pay me,”  _ the brunette knew she shouldn’t play with her guest’s clear apprehension, but she couldn’t exactly help it and decided to smirk heavily as Cheryl bit the tip of her tongue with a comeback brewing, though she ultimately dropped it and laughed along.

Cheryl clears her throat when she turns to see Toni staring at the floor in front of the bed with a subtle grin on her face, the red-head arching an eyebrow as if to ask what she’s thinking about even though she has a pretty good guess: the same thoughts she, herself, has been having. 

It causes Toni to shake her head and fall back down to reality, forcing a smile before it drops and her mouth opens. Because of this, the other girl can tell there’s something on her mind, tilting her head to the side with two pieces of clothing clasped in her hands before they’re placed atop the dresser. The brunette watches her move slowly yet surely, almost like she’s regained her confidence prior to the latest events, until Cheryl sits right next to Toni and hesitant, brown eyes dart away.

“What’s up?” Cheryl looks at Toni who faces the front of the room, the desire to say something etched across her face even though she also appears lacking strong emotion ━ not in a bad way, but like she’s fighting with herself regarding if she should open her mouth. “And don’t say there’s nothing. You’ve been looking at me all morning.”

This time, it gets a smile from Toni, but Cheryl rolls her eyes with one of her own and interrupts, “Not like that, either. You’ve wanted to say something since we had breakfast.”

“Are you sure you want to go to school today?” when she answers, it comes quick and with vulnerable, contemplative eyes. “You can always take a few more days.”

Unlike what Toni believed would be the response ━ as in: opposing her thought of Cheryl reacting badly ━ the girl only smiles and gives her a breathy chuckle, bumping her shoulder lightly.

“You’re just trying to keep me held hostage in your quaint, little home for a while longer.”

It earns a smirk, “Don’t deny that you love it here.”

“Oh, that’s definitely not me denying it,” her eyes widen in seriousness, looking away from Toni. “I’ve grown fond of staying here, but I can’t hide forever.”

“It’s not hiding when you’re recuperating after something as horrible as…” she doesn’t dare bring it up, “ _ what happened. _ You deserve that recovery.”

“And I’ll get that recovery, TT,” Cheryl’s voice is weightless and convincing, promising the other girl as she reaches for her hand to intwine their fingers. “I just want things back to normal. Well, as normal as things can be, save my mother’s threats and wayward intentions.”

Toni swallows hard, knowing that she’s being a little more protective than she should be and hoping that it doesn’t scare Cheryl away. 

“As long as you’re ready for that,” after a pause, the brunette exhales before choosing to explain herself. “I’m not trying to keep you held hostage, but I don’t want you to rush yourself so much that something else happens to you.”

Cheryl continues looking into Toni’s eyes, so much that both girls wonder how long the quiet is bound to last after that last proclamation. It’s a heavy silence ━ one that’s filled with sudden acknowledgment and understanding ━ before Cheryl finds her voice as it’s full of abrupt, clear comprehension and lightness. 

“You really care about me,” she says rather than asks, and Toni feels caught off-guard by it.

“I promised I wouldn’t leave you alone, ever again.”

“But you care about me because you’re fulfilling a promise to yourself,” Cheryl points out, knowing that the other girl is going to try to deny it, as they’re both aware of how scary these feelings can be. “Aren’t you?”

Toni’s lips part, eyes drifting away in vulnerability as Cheryl plays with her fingers between them.

“You don’t care because you believe I need it,” the red-head explains mindlessly, staring at their hands like Toni had been. “You care because you understand  _ you  _ need it,” when she locks eyes with brown once more, she smiles tenderly. 

Although she’s right, Toni keeps her attitude gentle while halfheartedly contradicting, “I’m not doing myself a favor by caring for you.”

“No, not a favor,” it comes with a chuckle. “It’s not that black and white. I guess it’s just new to me. To know that someone actually cares for me on their own accord. Someone beautiful, and sweet, and…” she licks her lips when realizing that she could probably go on forever, eventually starting a new sentence. “This person cares for me, and… for once, above anyone else, acts on it without minding the outside world. You want to care for me because you need it equally as much as I do, and you’re willing to admit that. Not only by spoken word, but…”

The sentiment brings Toni to wonder when Cheryl grasped onto such emotion after the past few days, thinking about how shattered and discombobulated the girl appeared when they first rescued her in that “movie hall,” then how quiet she had fallen once she was given a blanket in this little house. It’s possible ━  _ probable  _ ━ that Cheryl’s mind was a serene oasis of beautiful words and descriptions prior, and maybe her thoughts aren’t all loathing or scattered, but this is a new level. Long gone is the pieced-together “mean girl” from when they first met, and, in this moment, Toni is reassured that she chose the right path of figuring out what makes the red-head tick instead of giving into her volatile game. All along, Cheryl has only wanted someone to understand her or be willing to test the waters with her, and, now that Toni has given it her all and surely intends on keeping it that way, her true, vibrant colors are being displayed with ease. 

Toni stares at her in wonder, then finally finds the means to at least whisper:

“I know you won’t believe me when I say this, but you make it easy.”

“You’re right… I won’t believe it,” Cheryl laughs, cheeks blushing, “but I’ll accept that’s what you think. All I know is that I’m grateful.”

They both smile, Cheryl then continuing, “Gratitude is finally coming easy to me,” before Toni laughs and nods.

Once their slight laugher dies down, however, Cheryl pushes herself off the bed’s edge with returning eagerness in the form of, “Now,” while presenting her hand to Toni so she can pull the brunette up.

The red-head takes a breath, “It’s time to get ready. Don’t want to be late for my big return.”

The other girl raises her eyebrows in agreement, watching Cheryl pick up the pile of clothes that she put down before, and suddenly her breath is caught in her throat again, constantly remembering how dumbstruck she gets when━

“Toni Topaz, are you blushing at the thought of me wearing your clothes?” she’s caught red-handed, particularly because her eyes haven’t yet been torn away from the garments in Cheryl’s fingertips, but the question makes her gaze float back upward so she can force a smile.

“I… you just wear them better than I do,” Toni stammers. “It’s… a sight,” in the end, she can’t even try denying it, but Cheryl seems pleased by the choice.

“Hm, well, you’re lucky your closet is both tasteful and, like I said…  _ comfortable _ ,” with a slowness to her movements, she approaches the other girl, wearing a flirtatious demeanor. “Plus, they’re yours. I have to make you speechless somehow.”

It’s granted the speechlessness aforementioned, Toni only staring at Cheryl who continues to smirk despite the distance between them slimming down more and more until they’re nearly touching lips. Still, no response ━ and hardly any reaction, like she’s been frozen in place.

“See?” Cheryl whispers with that same smirk, though her eyes flicker to Toni’s mouth.

Toni can’t find the strength to respond, but she doesn’t have to; Cheryl’s own seduction gets the best of her, pressing forward and kissing the other girl softly. They revel in the feeling, the slow pace, and everything about the way they’re able to kiss each other with hesitance yet passion. Toni finds herself counting the number of times she gets to kiss Cheryl, not in an obsessive way, but in a way that explains how fortunate she feels being able to be so intimate with such a strong-willed person. And the way Cheryl occasionally tugs on her bottom lip as they depart for a second isn’t something she’ll get bored of, either. 

Toni grins against Cheryl’s mouth, inadvertently breaking another kiss before she’s gifted a final peck to her bottom lip, and the two take a moment to lean their foreheads together with all the warmth in the world surrounding them. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like to believe that Toni needs this companionship (and love) with Cheryl just as much as Cheryl does (and I mention this because of the line: "You don't care because you believe I need it. You care because you understand you need it"). I think, thusfar, we've seen Toni being Cheryl's backbone in order to get her past some heavy, self-directed thoughts, however we've yet to see the opposite where Cheryl comforts Toni and slays some of her demons, as well. It's been written to show that Toni is Cheryl's knightess in shining armor, that she's her sunshine and so forth ━ which I love to death, don't get me wrong; it's majorly important ━ but it's easy to forget that Toni is human, also, and probably needs just as much reassurance as Cheryl does. That's why the scene of Cheryl rescuing Toni was super important (despite the lack of screentime surrounding it); it shows that Cheryl isn't exactly a damsel in distress ━ just someone who's had a rough past and now feels she has a reason to kick her ass into high-gear and be the best version of herself.
> 
> And I know I'm ranting to absolutely no one in particular, but their story just thrills me to no end. They have such chemistry and backstory (even though we hardly know Toni's, as an individual character) that it's so fun to dissect, and, God, I'm such a nerd. I know.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Choni lounging together ━ Bonus: They make their relationship official ━ Taking place sometime after 2x17.

“I’m happy you decided to stay another night.”

Cheryl turns her body and looks up at Toni when she hears the out-of-nowhere, calm proclamation, her head previously rested in the brunette’s lap as she’s zoned out watching the television from the couch ━ A.K.A. her favorite position, feeling the other girl’s fingers tactically run through her hair. 

“I just couldn’t find it in me to decline your invitation,” the girl speaks with a certainty about the decision, almost as if she’s pretending she attempted to push away the idea of spending another night with Toni instead of begrudgingly heading back to Thistlehouse like she planned.

Of course, they both know better than that, and Toni hums.

“Good.”

The short response holds a lot of weight, mostly contained in their eye contact and Cheryl rubbing her lips together because all she wants to do is scoot her body to an enabling position and kiss Toni until the sun finally sets on this surprisingly warm evening. And she can tell that Toni wants the same, the brunette’s eyes struggling to stay level with hers in a way that screams she’s mutually struggling to keep her hands to herself.

They’ve been like this a lot recently: pathetically mushy and completely done-for ━ particularly as the dust settled surrounding Cheryl’s brush with being “converted back to heterosexual.” Now, whenever the red-head finds herself thinking of that complication and bit of self-history, she can roll her eyes with an attitude that explains how much stronger she’s grown, since then. She won’t lie and say she isn’t wounded by what happened, and she won’t try to claim that she’s forgiven her mother for putting on such a ghastly display of “parental guidance,” but at least she’s come to the understanding that it was out of her own control and she’s been able to handle it comfortably. Toni, without a doubt, has played a big role in that, making sure Cheryl has her own space while also giving her as much attention as needed.

And Cheryl has wanted  _ a lot _ of attention. 

In fact, just the other day, Toni was even surprised that Cheryl wasn’t holding back with her affection within the school lounge where others walked back and forth; she simply sat down closely, grabbed the brunette’s hand, and continued to gaze into entranced eyes with a flirtatious smile. Toni was in a daze the entire time, but she didn’t want to break the other girl’s resolve by asking a question about it or merely mentioning the gesture, ultimately allowing herself to enjoy it and bask in the smitten sensation equally as much. People’s invasive stares didn’t pester Cheryl, either, despite a lone bite as she called a drooling, varsity football player a “fustilarian” before Toni arched an eyebrow ━ not to say he didn’t deserve the name. 

After school, when they ended up alone together as Cheryl continued to spend her nights at the brunette’s, things between them grew even closer, and neither of them have complained an ounce about it. Though Toni has never been the type to pine over anyone ━ not even past girlfriends or boyfriends ━ she’s found herself to be epically engrossed in Cheryl, putting the other girl high on a pedestal even though the red-head, herself, has been brought down to Earth. 

This forming relationship has brought nothing but humane instincts, emotions, and everything in-between, and it’s uplifting to know how pure it’s become in spite of the romantic tension that mounts whenever they’re in a room together. It’s also nice to know that the aura they create together completely derails others’ thoughts of their connection being volatile since it’s between  _ the  _ Cheryl Blossom and a Serpent; at the end of the day, they’re people, too ━ just like everyone else, longing for someone to understand them.

Cheryl inhales deeply, her mind wandering into a slightly dangerous ━ well,  _ feared  _ ━ territory of, for once, wanting to understanding how much she means to Toni, or what the girl thinks about how they’ve grown closer. Actually, this isn’t anything new; she’s been wondering about their status ever since they kissed, having the desire to hear what the brunette thinks they are or wishes they were. On one hand, they certainly don’t seem to be exhibiting signs of only being friends with benefits, but, on the other… what if Toni never intended for things to get this solid or meaningful?

_ No, she definitely did,  _ Cheryl snuggles closer with the thought. 

Still, it’s a feared territory since the question would perhaps leave the door open for her to be wounded by rejection if she implied anything more serious ━ not to say she believes Toni would ever do any harm to her. She’s hasn’t been in this position for years, and it’s not one she thought she’d ever be willing to put herself in on any person’s account, no matter how much she trusted them.  _ Toni is different, though,  _ she reminds herself. 

Again, she takes a deep breath, this time getting the attention of brown eyes that swirl with questions. Clearly, she’s caught onto Cheryl’s heavy thoughts, and the red-head decides that maybe it’ll be best if she bites the bullet instead of waiting for Toni to ask what’s going on.

“What do you think of us as?” from the other girl’s perspective, the question comes out of nowhere, being so light and so casual that Toni’s mouth drops open as a natural reaction before she shuts it almost quick enough for her clacking teeth to be heard.

Cheryl wants to giggle at the reaction, but she instead only forces herself upward so she can be eye-level with the other girl. In the process, she also puts the television on mute, Toni’s gaze darting back and forth between the red-head, the remote, and the screen until she’s being stared at. She gives a weak laugh, still caught off-guard but certainly not dismissive of the thought because, in all honesty, she’s wondered the same ━ especially during the night as Cheryl sleeps soundly, peacefully, beyond close and comfortable. 

“Where’d that come from?”

“From the mindfield known as my everyday wonders,” her response is sarcastic, pointed, and honest, getting an equally entertained grin from Toni.

“I…” although she wants to be confident and answer so outright that Cheryl simply beams in ecstasy, declaring that they’re together and that’s that, the brunette has absolutely no clue what she views them as and also doesn’t know what the other girl wishes they’d become.

No, back up; Toni knows what she views them as, but it’s too scary to say aloud because, well, what if Cheryl━ 

“That’s what I figured,” her internal ramblings are interrupted when the girl chuckles with a silly eye-roll, not being condescending but as if she’s taunting her, using an underlying jab to provoke Toni into making a bold move. 

“Wait a second,” Toni defends herself, straightening her back as Cheryl gives her a tight-lipped smile. “I’m not the only one in…  _ this _ ,” she gestures between the two of them, laughing at the fact that the red-head attempts to pretend that she’s far more courageous and defined. 

“In ‘this.’”

“What would you call it?” 

The quick response makes Cheryl shift her jaw. 

“Mhm,” it’s triumphant-sounding, but it only pushes the conversation along into an area which they both really want. 

“I suppose it’s agreed that we should discuss it,” she puts out the bait, raising her chin a fraction.

“We can,” with a smile, Toni waits a moment before she puts her hand out in a gesture so Cheryl has the green-light to continue, mostly because she detects how tense things have gotten in the red-head’s mind and, really, it’s just fun to poke at her frustration. “Go ahead.”

Cheryl refuses to give into Toni’s little game of push and shove, however, and keeps on her mask of determination as she puts her words in order:

“As much fun as it’s been being the one who gets to kiss you, and being she who sleeps by your side  _ without  _ putting a label on it…” her explanation begins, sounding much like a proposal as it’s cautious, optimistic, and flirty all in one demeanor. 

“She who sleeps _ by my side _ …” Toni can’t help it, teasing the girl in front of her with an arched eyebrow. “You mean, she who sleeps practically on top of me?”

Although the intention of the statement was to jab at Cheryl, neither can help but feel their cheeks warm up at the implication because, truly, they’ve both been so content with their living situation that said comfort has even been displayed during the night as both girls tangle together, flip-flopping periodically. The intense happiness because of the memory also brings up a certain sourness within Toni’s gut, unfortunately, also reminding her of how sad everything is going to seem once Cheryl leaves to go back to Thistlehouse ━ primarily on her mind because the girl has mentioned it a time or two in the past day, and she wasn’t even supposed to be here tonight. 

“You knew what you were signing up for,” thankfully, Cheryl’s voice pulls Toni away from those thoughts, retorting pointedly but playfully. “I can’t help it if my subconscious form feels so inclined to use you as a body pillow.”

Toni laughs. 

“Besides, you hold me in place,” Cheryl smirks heavily, stealing Toni’s smugness from a minute prior. “Evidently you’re not that bothered by the position.”

It gets the other girl to clear her throat and revert the conversation back to the main topic. 

“Okay, do I have to be cliché and formally ask you out?” she smiles shyly. “Do people still do that?” 

“Since when have you known me to care for what other people do?”

“I haven’t.”

“Good,” the red-head smiles triumphantly. “But, in this case… what’s wrong with being a little cliché? Afterall, I am nothing, if not dramatic.”

_ That’s for sure, _ Toni playfully rolls her eyes before squinting, “So, you  _ do  _ want me to ask?” 

“No.”

“No?” she nearly twitches at the answer, confused. 

“That’s right, you heard correctly. No.”

Again, the brunette squints, and the other girl shifts an inch or so closer on the couch, putting on an exaggerated face and taking a deep breath before stating, “Antoinette Topaz━”

“Wait, how do you━”

“I make it my mission to know everyone’s everything, Northside and Southside. Finding out your full name was nothing short of routine,” there’s a no-arguments or -interruptions tone about her voice, eyes widening with her head tilted in slight lecture.

Toni stares at her, and Cheryl backtracks, “I can include your middle name, too, if you’d like.”

It earns another snicker, Toni smiling heavily, “You’re so━”

“Sensational?”

Opposing Cheryl’s tone from a second ago, it’s much softer, and Toni can even see her eyes become more vulnerable yet knowing. It makes their hearts beat quickly even though their limbs tingle with an itch to come together and kiss away the conversation they’ve been having. All in all, neither girl has felt an attachment to someone else this deep, this massive, and they know they should savor it. 

“Yeah,” the brunette finally whispers, “you really are.”

Cheryl’s eyes sparkle with something new and even more beautiful, having to recollect herself to finish whatever type of proposal she was trying to get through before. With a heavy inhale and the tilt of her head, she finally smiles, using an almost-inaudible yet decisive voice when asking, “Will you do me the honor of being my girlfriend?” 

“I’d love to,” she makes sure to diffuse some of their collective nerves by using a cheeky attitude, though it’s no less genuine and lovable.

And, with that, Cheryl feels a huge weight lifted off her shoulders, getting rid of each and every piece of disdain she still held for missing out on a years-passed period of self-growth. She now knows that there’s still time to pull things together and learn more about oneself, no matter what’s going on in the outside world or even immediately outside the bedroom door. Life is too short to live with regrets and baggage full of guilt and  _ what if _ ’s. She owes that recent epiphany to the girl now staring at her in adoration, and she’s proud of herself for capitalizing on something so progressive and eye-opening. 

This, today, was a huge step, and with no more time wasted, the two girls seal their newly defined relationship with a one, two, three-second long kiss and a pair of smiles. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And who says being cliché is no fun?
> 
> Alright, but, I have to say that I know I probably took a different route for this little ask-out scene because the majority of shippers (that I've seen/heard from, at least) picture Toni being the one to make this sort of advancement, like she's kinda helping Cheryl along step by step ━ which is valid, really. I, myself, had an internal debate of whether or not Cheryl would have the courage to ask Toni out, however I think, on-screen, the writers made their relationship come together really fast and Cheryl seems all for it. We've seen little to no hesitation from her, so I wanted to use that to my advantage in order to show a different side of their "DTR" scene.
> 
> FYI, for the next one-shot: I'm gonna be skipping ahead to 2x21 (where this is only after 2x17) because I don't really have a bunch of solid content to write an actual one-shot around for the musical episode and the two after that (since we barely saw Cheryl, individually, nevermind her with Toni). HOWEVER! I'm not just paving over little things that may have happened during that time (after all, we still need development), so I'll include little snippets and maybe a flashback or two in the midst of all the rioting drama.
> 
> Also, not sure when I'll be updating again (it won't be hella long, but…) because there's a lot of family stuff going on right now (hospital visits, birthday parties, grad parties, etc.) happening all at once, so my writing days keep getting chopped up. But, alas, I'll keep trying my best, and I'll continue putting out the rest of the gap-fillers ━ especially because we only have a few left, I believe, then who knows what's next.
> 
> As always, I hope this quenched at least a fraction of your Choni thirst, and thank you for coming back!


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cheryl's thought-process as Toni is nowhere to be found (later discovered captured by Penny Peabody) ━ Taking place in 2x21.

Her heart feels heavy as her feet take her back and forth within the confines of her dimly lit room. She occasionally brings her hand to her face and bites her nails, quickly slapping her own hand away to stop the habit from reappearing as a result of stress. 

There has to be something to distract her from the tension, though, and her eyes dart around the room while wondering what the hell she can possibly do while waiting for Toni to get back to her. Unfortunately, Cheryl doesn’t know if Toni  _ will  _ get back to her, and that makes her stomach do the worst-possible kind of backflips repeatedly because, in any scenario, the brunette would normally message back within a minute or so. It’s been  _ many  _ minutes ━ hours, in fact ━ of waiting, yet no word from Toni. Cheryl even used a harsh notification in an attempt to get her attention: _ “The Black Hood showed up at my house all-too-uninvited in his murderous glory.”  _

Sure, it had an emoji at the end which, thinking back, maybe made it less than serious, but Toni would’ve messaged back by now, and she would’ve shown prime concern. There’s absolutely no explanation for why the brunette hasn’t responded.

Actually, yes there is, but it’s an explanation Cheryl doesn’t want to give any attention to; she doesn’t want to admit to herself that her girlfriend is in extreme danger, and she doesn’t want to give into the thoughts of somehow losing her.

The rioting at the police station doesn’t help her heavy heart, either, mainly because she’s aware that Toni was heading there with her Serpent siblings to save one of their own from a crime he didn’t commit, and Cheryl wholeheartedly sides with the brunette’s beliefs in Fangs being innocent. In light of the obviously impending backlash and the inevitable, town anger, Toni still put herself in harm’s way by heading down to the station and using herself as a human shield for Fangs. Of course, Cheryl didn’t just open the door for the other girl to walk out of with a curt round of luck, and the red-head protested a time or two.

_ “I hardly believe your five-foot-three frame will be much of a barrier to keep crowd-goers at bay,” _ she tried to argue, a slight pout turning her lips downward as she stood in front of the other girl.

Toni could see a certain shade of fear in her eyes, even if she didn’t outright admit that she’s afraid, but she made sure to ease some of her girlfriend’s worries by saying,  _ “I’ll be careful. Besides, Sweet Pea’s always looking out for me as much as I tell him I can handle myself. If you don’t trust me, then trust him.” _

_ “I do trust you,”  _ Cheryl sighed.  _ “I’m more inclined to trust you than I am him, anyway.”  _

_ “Then trust me when I say I’ll message you once Fangs is safe somewhere, and I’ll be in one piece,”  _ she grabbed the girl’s hands, Cheryl only swallowing hard and forcing herself to take a deep breath before hushing her worries by leaning in for a quick, needy kiss.

In the end, she couldn’t deny Toni helping her Serpent family, and it’s just another reason why Cheryl admires the hell out of the brunette; she enjoys how close the bond is between each and every member of their gang and, honestly, wishes she had the same ━ or at least something similar. 

Even during their so-far short period of dating, Cheryl and the Serpents have been less at each other’s throats and more so have an understanding that Toni is a mutual, major part of their lives, and perhaps that’s all they’ve needed to stand on equal ground. Cheryl, admittedly, would like to bury the hatchet with them, and she supposes she has recently taken steps to achieve that by just… leaving them alone, or wanting to know more about the gang’s history (and the members’ history), like when she asked Toni about it the other day. It was only a short conversation, but Cheryl could tell that her interest in the subject got her girlfriend’s attention because it was both random and a noticeable change in attitude from when they first met. 

Cheryl smirks at the memory, sitting down on the edge of her bed; it seems like centuries ago when the two crossed paths at the street race, then when they nearly bit each other in the hallway when the Southsiders first arrived at the school. How can two people go from so frigid to so…  _ welcoming  _ toward one another? Surely, she wouldn’t change their history in any aspect because, as far as Cheryl is concerned, it’s what made them who they are today ━ just like her own past does the same for her, as an individual ━ but she also wonders what, exactly, it is about Toni that makes her feel so different.

It could be the way the brunette cares for her, or how much of a genuine person she is, or that she sees the world in a different color than Cheryl always has ━ not to say her perspective isn’t morphing now to align with her girlfriend’s. It could be all of it, the red-head smiles as she tilts her chin downward. She’s so thankful.

Toni’s compassion didn’t even stop during the time of the school musical when everything was so frantic, and the brunette went out of her way as much as she could to make sure Cheryl was properly taken care of in wake of her mother’s newest “no musical for you” tirade. Toni gave Cheryl the encouragement to take back her own life, and to make sure her mother knows that she’s not playing games anymore. That push was what she needed, and, fuck, it feels so great. She can finally breathe without feeling like her heart is being suffocated by a vice grip, and her confidence has been growing back to the way it was. Before, she owned up to wanting to prove to everyone that she’s still the same Cheryl Blossom, but now she’s able to prove it to herself; now, after she’s taken change of her own well-being and progress in life, even if it’s only been a short amount of time… she’s herself again ━ a  _ better  _ version of herself. 

Again, she’s  _ so  _ thankful.

The chime of the doorbell rings in her ears, eyes floating up to the ceiling as she frowns at what time it is, and suddenly she hopes Black Hood didn’t come back for round two. She glances at her archery set in the corner of the room, wondering if she should bring it with her or if it’ll scare off a random, non-Black-Hood person.  _ Best to be safe,  _ she decides while grabbing for the holster and slinging it over her shoulder, following by fixing her red-hooded outfit and snatching the bow.

Her tread toward the door is careful yet driven, curious of who is disturbing her peace ━ her jumbled mind ━ at this hour, but also not wishing to come face to face with someone less than friendly again. Through the window, she can see shadows of branches moving back and forth in the breeze, creating an ominous vibe, and the last few steps toward the door feel a little longer than normal. 

Finally, she reaches for the doorknob as her fingertips tremble, head low with her other hand tightly gripping the weapon in case she needs it. Internally, she thanks herself for learning how to equip it easily, with speed, and being able to use it only a millisecond afterwards ━ not to say she’s exactly happy that she feels the need to. 

Nevertheless, her hand twists the doorknob and flings it open so she can have the advantage with an arrow pointed directly at━

“Toni’s been taken, and we need to move quickly,” Jughead states rather urgently, as if he hadn’t noticed the pointed edge shoved almost up his nostril, ultimately getting Cheryl to lower her bow just as she puts on an even-more-serious face, reaches nearby for a set of keys, and follows him down the house’s walkway. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who commented/reviewed with their kind words regarding my (potentially) impending sporadic updating schedule. Your respect for me is valued and reciprocated, hand in hand.
> 
> Now, I know this one was pretty much all internal with little to no dialogue, but I still viewed it as important for their development because I didn’t want to just pave over the huge gap between them making their relationship official (in the one-shot before this) and the instance of Toni being captured. Plus, I think this internal rant kinda mirrors the one Cheryl had in the first one-shot I posted, so it’s nice to see how things have changed since then. I’d say she’s more optimistic and focused on something, isn’t she?
> 
> Anyway, back to dealing with my messy schedule. This was a nice reprieve, so posting these makes me just as happy as y’all are (or, well, I hope you are). 
> 
> P.S.: Guess whose graduation ceremony was this morning, *wink wink.* Of course, I didn’t attend because it’s hot as shit outside and I’m not a fan of… people… but, alas, I’ve officially graduated! What’s next? Stay tuned (and by that I mean I have no idea).


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soon after Cheryl and Jughead rescue Toni ━ Taking place in 2x21, at the Whyte Wyrm, before FP comes in.

The sound of rowdy Serpent boys clouds the air as they approach the dimly lit entrance of the Whyte Wyrm, Cheryl’s entire body tense and on high alert ever since rescuing the girl whose hand is clasped with hers. Her insides shake on occasion, though she internally questions her body’s reasoning for the reaction because Toni is _safe_ ━ free from imminent harm, walking along beside her. She wonders if her girlfriend can tell how panicked she still is, if her grip is unbelievably tight and noticeable even though the brunette hasn’t brought it up. Toni hasn’t even looked at her in the past minute and, God, she knows she’s now fallen into the stage of paranoia but tonight has been such a clusterfuck that her head is spinning.

They’re making their way through the bar’s doors now, leaving a group of Serpents ━ including Jughead ━ outside with Cheryl slipping inside, almost pulling Toni behind her. Her eyes dart around, entering what seems like a foyer for the establishment with the main room toward the left, and her heart thumps heavily in her chest. Seconds pass, and the idea of “almost” pulling Toni turns into a literal form of the word, the brunette’s forehead creasing in confusion even though she doesn’t attempt to escape the fierce yet somehow-still-gentle grip on her forearm.

At first, she wonders where the red-head is bringing them, but they’re soon pushing through a side door and ending up in the world’s smallest, dimmest bathroom with a subtle, truckstop type of aesthetic. Again, still feeling the tug on her forearm with the door slamming behind her, Toni goes to make a joke about how eager Cheryl seems to get her alone, but each and every word she has come up with is erased when her girlfriend whips around and kisses her so hard that, for the first time, she’s actually stunned.

Her body stiffens, at first, and she’s pretty sure she forgets to close her eyes for an entire second or two, but the kiss quickly softens with Cheryl’s palms sliding along her upper arms with a sensuality about the movement, and finally Toni is able to melt into the embrace with a longing hum.

In a way, the gesture makes up for how much of a mess today’s been ━ and the day prior ━ with unspoken _I’ve missed you_ ’s coming in the form of Cheryl disconnecting their lips for not even a millisecond before leaning back in. There’s something more, though, and Toni can practically taste the opposing statement of “I could have lost you” as Cheryl’s tongue slides against hers, causing her to feel a mix of understanding and sympathy for the girl ━ especially since she remembers how she plead with the red-head to trust her regarding her safety.

Teeth slowly and gently tug on Toni’s bottom lip, her eyes mutually opening with Cheryl’s despite how lidded they are due to being so love-drunk. For a moment, their surroundings and the day’s events escape them, leaving the two girls breathless and reveling in how it feels to be so attached to someone, so cared about. Cheryl even reaches up to Toni’s face, carefully wiping some stray remnants of red lipstick from around the girl’s mouth as they share a quiet laugh because this definitely isn’t the first time it’s happened.

It takes another moment, but Toni ends up breaking the silence, simply breathing out a small chuckle and knowingly saying, “Something tells me you’re taking this whole, ‘held captive’ thing harder than I am.”

Immediately, Cheryl looks offended as her face drops, ready to defend herself as she all but lectures, “It’s a valid worry. You could’ve been…”

The words die in her throat, teeth coming together before her jaw relaxes when Toni gingerly cups her cheeks.

“Look at me,” the brunette says as sad, brown eyes drift away, waiting for her to comply before continuing. “I’m okay. See, I’m still in one piece,” she puts on a cheeky grin. “Just like I said.”

The other girl stays looking into her eyes, and it feels like a century passes before Cheryl shakes Toni’s hands away from her cheeks and pushes forward to hug her girlfriend tighter than she’s ever done before. There’s desperation in the way she holds onto Toni, and the brunette senses it all too well while sharing the emotion equally as much; although she’s really brushed off tonight’s encounter with some unfriendly foes, her heart ached to get in touch with Cheryl before something _seriously_ horrible happened. As scary as it is to admit, Toni had no idea what Penny and the Ghoulies were willing to do, or how far they’d go to prove a point. She couldn’t bear the thought of something happening ━ even minor ━ more so because she’d never want Cheryl to feel as if she’s been abandoned by the one person who’s shown how trustworthy she can be.

And, with the way Cheryl holds onto her with no intention of letting go for another minute or beyond, she can tell that the other girl never wants to deal with the idea of losing each other, causing Toni’s eyes to water because she shares the same fear. Toni hugs her tighter as she takes in Cheryl’s familiar scent and overall aura, allowing her emotions to clench her throat before swallowing hard and taking a breath to clear her eyes of any oncoming tears.

She pulls herself together just in time, too, as Cheryl unravels their bodies and sheepishly fixes her hair as if she’s apologetic for being so frazzled. Her eyes stay away from the brunette’s.

“I know it’s a valid worry,” the brunette sighs. “I was worried, too. I didn’t mean to make it sound like I wasn’t, I’m sorry.”

The other girl nods, biting her inner cheek.

“Are _you_ okay?” Toni asks with a tiny smirk forming, ultimately regaining the girl’s full attention.

“Well,” Cheryl raises her eyebrows with a tight smile. “Let’s just say… I’m not letting you out of my sight for a very,” she exhales as her eyes widen, “ _very_ long time.”

It earns a laugh, the other girl tilting her head to the side, “No arguments here.”

The amount of flirtatiousness in her voice causes Cheryl to rub her lips together in a desperate attempt to distract herself from the impending tension. She looks around the room in order to pretend that she’s stopped paying attention, though she bites the tip of her tongue and it’s difficult not to smile.

“Thank you, by the way,” again, Toni regains her attention. “For tonight.”

She hums, teasing, “I couldn’t let you be the only dashing heroine in this relationship of ours.”

Her girlfriend seems to agree, pursing her lips and nodding as Cheryl continues, “Besides, I had the most fitting paraphernalia for it,” as she looks down at her red-hooded outfit, Toni doing the same with an admiral grin.

“I can see that,” her voice sounds amused. “And you just… had all that lying around?” her eyes narrow in skepticism, though no less entertained.

“On a hook, somewhere hidden from passerbyers,” the red-head raises her chin with pride, smiling. “For times like these.”

“You deal with times like these often?”

“If you keep getting captured, then I will be.”

“Okay, this was _once_ ,” Toni rolls her eyes, “and it’s because there was an absolute _uproar_ at the police station. I don’t even remember what happened.”

“Hm,” feeling daring, Cheryl takes a step forward toward her girlfriend, their mouths only inches away, “at least you’re safe now.”

“Thanks to you,” the brunette whispers, eyes struggling to stay level with the other girl’s even though a subtle grin remains over her mouth. “My own, stunning vigilante,” her voice sinks even lower, pulling the girl closer by the material of her red cloak.

Cheryl briefly mimics her grin, though it’s more of a smirk than anything, right before their lips are touching and ready to lean in, ready to kiss the rest of the night away even if that means taking refuge in a filthy bathroom. Toni takes the initiative, first pecking Cheryl’s bottom lip softly before brushing her nose against the girl’s as their eyes flicker open, the tension ready to suffocate them right against the door of the━

A nearby slam breaks them apart ━ not much, but enough to ruin the moment ━ as it’s accompanied by the sound of loud, angry voices that display a readiness to fight anyone and everyone. Toni’s eyes shut in irritation, leaning her head back slightly and suddenly wishing she could ditch the rest of the Serpents just so she could head home with Cheryl and finish what they’ve started. By the look in her girlfriend’s eyes, Cheryl wishes for the same, though she seals her lips tightly as if to say, “Maybe next time,” without mentioning it at all.

The voices get louder, more Serpents filing into the Whyte Wyrm, and the two girls can tell that everyone is on the brink of starting something much bigger than a simple riot. In all honesty, Cheryl wishes they would, primarily to get back at the freeloaders who rudely hijacked her girlfriend, and she’d be willing to fight by their side if she was allowed.

Either way, with a sigh, she takes a step back from Toni, offering her a convincing smile that lacks the heat of a minute prior.

“Sounds like it’s time to find out what’s next,” she extends her hand for her girlfriend to take. “Shall we?”

With a curt nod, Toni grabs her hand and entwines their fingers, helping the red-head open the door as her stomach remains in knots of both general relief that she’s with her girlfriend and the obvious, overwhelming tension as a result of being so physically close. _Tonight has certainly been a ride,_ she thinks, just as the door behind them closes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one-shot, my friends, is/was a product of free-writing. No outline, no dialogue written beforehand; just the idea, and a single starting point. I'm mentioning that because it's something I hardly do (since I usually have an outline, dialogue written beforehand, ya know), and I'm quite frankly proud of it. I hope you felt as many emotions as I did whilst writing it.
> 
> If anyone else remembers the scene of Choni at the Whyte Wyrm where there's a Serpent vote to go to war with the Ghoulies, you'll probably recall the brief second we were shown Cheryl and Toni sitting at least a foot apart from each other. Some fans were annoyed with their distance (and I'm not saying their irritation is wrong, believe me), so I figured a little something called sexual tension could explain that. I know Toni was just captured and Cheryl was nearly just axed down prior to this scene, so they had to be at least moderately vulnerable (shown in this deep hug and Cheryl's desperation to kiss Toni, initially), however, up to this point, they've been getting closer and closer, so I thought the tension fit.
> 
> Speaking of tension(!): Fair warning… although I'm not necessarily writing straight-up smut for these one-shots (which is open for change, later on), things are still gonna get a little steamy in the next few (including flashbacks), so just beware.
> 
> And, before I go: Unrelated, but don't forget to watch The Bold Type's first hour of season two, available on Hulu, starting today ━ or just don't forget to watch it once the season formally premieres on June 12th. It's a great show (for those who aren't already aware), I promise.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cheryl asks Toni to move in, and Toni invites Cheryl to become a Serpent ━ Taking place in 2x22, after Toni says they should make things "official," but before it's actually officialized.

“I’ve missed being in bed with you.”

Toni replies with a half-assed, “stop talking” type of nod, nudging Cheryl’s nose with hers before their lips are sealed again with yet another heated kiss, completely shushing the red-head so she can’t break the embrace another time. 

Cheryl doesn’t mind, though, as long as it means that she’s able to continue kissing Toni for however-long she wants while she lies atop the brunette’s body, her large, comfortable mattress underneath. In regards to the statement, she assumes that her girlfriend agrees despite her reluctance to verbally respond; they’ve been wanting more and more of each other lately, and the little-to-no time they’ve had together has seriously been weighing down on them. Texting doesn’t do their relationship justice, obviously, nor does it provide any relief when it comes to the tension they’ve been carrying around recently ━ especially on Cheryl’s end of things. She supposes that her frustrations have been even heavier than Toni’s, in fact, and there’s a variety of reasons as to why that could be. Maybe she’s more inclined to be attached at the hip (or lips) because of how fiesty a person she is, or perhaps it’s due to the lack of physicality she’s had in years prior. 

Either way, something’s gotta give, and she vows to make up for lost time with Toni as their cluttered schedules (and Cheryl’s living conditions) become more open to alteration.

She intentionally slows down the kiss when a thought occurs, dragging her hand upward and brushing some stray hairs from Toni’s face as she partially leans her body to the side. The other girl looks up at her, curious yet incredibly flustered by the spur-the-moment make out session that ensued almost immediately once they walked into Cheryl’s bedroom ━ not to mention the fact that it’s nearly nine at night and the darkness doesn’t help toning down the mood. Circumstances aside, it’s a sight the red-head will never get tired of, especially with the adjoining fact that she’s the reason for Toni’s disheveled state and dark-tinted eyes. 

It’s also a sight she doesn’t want to leave, and one that she wouldn’t mind waking up to, and going to bed to, and everything in-between.

“Stay here with me.”

Cheryl’s words sound more like a soft demand than a request, and she bites her lower lip at her own eagerness before taking a breath, looking off to the side, and backtracking, “Move in with me, I mean. So we don’t have to miss this.”

Toni doesn’t respond, but her eyebrows furrow in a sort of confusion yet interest that isn’t portrayed negatively yet doesn’t give Cheryl a solid enough answer. For starters, she wonders where the idea came from, but she supposes that her girlfriend would respond with something along the lines that pay notice to the mindfield known as her everyday wonders. She ends up rubbing her lips together, trying to stifle her grin at the memory. 

“Please,” the girl adds once Toni lacks a valid response or mere reaction, leaning close to the brunette’s face and placing a hardly noticeable kiss to her cheek before backing up and staring at her with both love and a hint of lust.

“What about your mother?” is the only thing she gets in relation to the question, Cheryl almost laughing at the inquiry because the look on Toni’s face is priceless, so timid yet as if the red-head forgot about the former, blatant homophobia clouding her house. 

“What about her?” she gives her girlfriend a half-assed shrug and adjusts her body slightly. “Once everything is finalized, she won’t have a say in who lives here, or who stays with me. Even if she did, we both know I’m a little too rebellious. Sometimes for my own good.”

Silence, but Toni shows agreement on the subject with a pair of wide eyes.

“I don’t need an answer right now, but think about it,” they share another, brief peck.

“I don’t have to think about it,” the brunette disagrees, flashing a smile. “I’d love to stay here with you, Cheryl.”

“But?” it comes with a knowing head-tilt that’s the least bit saddened, only smug and wise, Toni rolling her eyes.

“ _ But _ … we’ll have to see how long it’s for,” she sighs, locking eyes with Cheryl. “And I don’t mean that in an ‘I’m going to get tired of this’ type of way. We just━”

“━come from different worlds?” 

Cheryl smiles tenderly at Toni, agreeing and filling in the blanks. Her knowingness gives the other girl comfort, seeing that she’s not irritated or provoked by the reasoning but only comprehensive and able to view her side of things; it’s no secret they come from separate sides of the street and handle things differently, even if they work together greatly, and maybe those differences would more so come to light if they were living together twenty-four-seven. Quite frankly, although the brunette wants to accept the invitation with a smile on her face and no questions in her mind, she’s hesitant; she doesn’t want to ruin anything by going too fast or something of the sort, and she can tell that Cheryl feels the same even though she’d voiced the offer. 

Of course, Cheryl doesn’t regret or take it back, but her girlfriend’s caution reminds her of how serious they’ve become about each other; they’re planning things for the long run, and jumping into something such as living together for good could make them feel rushed. They have all the time in the world, though, and that, alone, is worth accepting however-long the girl ends up staying at her house. 

Eventually, Toni nods with a tight-lipped grin, her fingertips dragging along the makeshift Serpent jacket adorning the red-head’s body with a glint of adoration in her eyes. 

“I understand you,” Cheryl mutters. “I’m open to you staying here for as long as you’d like. Even if that’s a short while.”

“Thank you,” their lips touch again, and Cheryl’s drive returns with a readiness to deepen the kiss, mainly because she feels Toni’s hands roaming her waist and fiddling with the material of her black jacket ━ A.K.A. the garment she can tell lights a fire within the brunette, and, admittedly, within herself.

Slightly to her dismay, however, Toni breaks the impending moment with a whisper against her lips, shyly admitting, “As long as we’re being open about things… I meant what I said earlier. About making this official.”

There’s something in the way she brings it up, sounding timid yet so serious that it gives Cheryl a boost of confidence as she pushes herself upward on Toni so she’s straddling the girl, sitting on her torso and tugging at her own jacket with pride.

“Yeah?” she bites her bottom lip with a smirk, afterwards actually entertaining the idea. “Do you think they’d even let me join after how abrasive I’ve been?”

“As long as you prove you’re Serpent material, they won’t have a problem,” her fingertips drag up and down Cheryl’s thighs as she avoids eye contact with the girl in fear that she’ll be a goner. “And, if they  _ do  _ have a problem after that, that’s too bad for them. They’ll have to get over it.”

“You’re speaking as if it’s already been decided that I’m joining,” her smirk resurfaces, also due to the fact that Toni won’t look her in the eyes for obvious reasons.

“Hasn’t it?”

“Perhaps.”

There’s a short moment of silence, Toni chewing on her bottom lip because she’d previously failed to mention that Cheryl can’t simply, automatically join; there are no free passes to join the Serpents, no matter if the brunette tried pleading with the gang or not, and her girlfriend will have to  _ literally  _ prove that she’s Serpent material. 

“There’s one caveat,” when she speaks again, her voice is cautious and she begins to slide out from underneath the other girl, Cheryl reluctantly complying as she kneels on the bed in front of where Toni now sits cross-legged. 

“What might that be?” Toni’s hesitation makes Cheryl’s eyes narrow, though she doesn’t feel dettered. 

“There is an initiation, and it’s sort of... racy,” she makes a face, but it’s also apparent that the thought of Cheryl going through their normal initiation makes her stomach flip with wonders and imaginative scenarios. 

She clears her throat, turning away from her girlfriend who only looks equally intrigued by the implication of something less-than-innocent. Both her appearance and silent response only cause Toni to grow a fraction more anxious for a multitude of reasons, adding onto the fuzzy feeling she gets from her own imagination even though she tries time and time again to clear her mind.

“On second thought, don’t let me push you into this, okay?” the brunette shakes her head as if it’ll erase what she’s thinking. “When I joined, it was on my own terms with no persuasion, and I want that to be the case for when you decide to—“

Cheryl reaches out and puts her finger to Toni’s lips, shushing her.

“I know it’s my decision, and I’ve decided that I want to.”

“You don’t even know what you have to do yet.”

“I don’t, but, judging by the look on your face…”  her gaze turns sultry along with her dragged-out claim, also appearing devilish and cunning, “I’m interested in finding out.”

Toni waits a few seconds, staring at Cheryl who doesn’t back down.

“It’s like a… pole-dancing routine,” the explanation is vague, like she’s brushing it off. “Sexual, if one does it correctly.”

It’s Cheryl’s turn to take a pause in the conversation, but hers is deliberate and a tactic to throw Toni off even more so; she finds great amusement within the realm of messing with the brunette’s head, loving how off-kilter she can throw her girlfriend with the simplest of things. On the other hand, Toni’s most recent words get Cheryl’s attention:  _ “…if one does it correctly.”  _ It makes her think, and that thinking transitions into something a little more dangerous for herself. She swallows hard.

“Did  _ you  _ do it correctly?”

Toni’s lips seal at the question, somewhat smiling afterwards.

“I assume.”

The other girl bites her lower lip before quietly asking, “Is that all I have to do?”

“What, that’s not enough?” they both laugh before the bit of comedy dies down, Cheryl’s demeanor turning extra flirtatious as she puts her hands on Toni’s thighs and leans in closely.

“Mm,” a single kiss is shared, “I didn’t know if you’d request a little extra...  _ initiating _ .”

“I’ll gladly take what you’re willing to give,” Toni boldly whispers against her mouth, earning a hum from Cheryl.

“How about…” another round of pecks are shared, “you take refuge in a mostly-empty Thistlehouse with your soon, newly Serpented girlfriend, and I’ll make sure the night treats you quite generously.”

“You really want me to stay, huh?” the brunette smiles heavily.

“I sincerely,  _ wholeheartedly  _ want you to stay,” despite the lack of distance between them, Cheryl’s eyes widen, her answer pointed and obvious, unchanging. 

“You’re not sick of me yet?”

“Not a chance.”

“I think we can work something out, then.”

“How blasé of you,” Cheryl rolls her eyes, brushing her lips past Toni’s without letting her girlfriend actually kiss her. “You can’t pretend my proposal didn’t entice you. You don’t have as strong a poker face as you believe.”

It’s more of a dare than anything, Toni trying to hide the fact that she’s aware of the statement’s accuracy, but Cheryl only moves a tad closer so she can peck her bottom lip with pressure that’s hardly noticed. Toni freezes, almost letting a shaky breath be heard even though it doesn’t make it out of her throat, and Cheryl capitalizes on her girlfriend being so stunned, whispering, “I can tell you’re curious.”

She can’t let Cheryl win, though ━ not this easily, at least ━ and, before the red-head can merely counter or try to fight back, Toni is on top of her with a glowing smirk and a demeanor that portrays how easy it is to get the upper-hand, or roughly a position that gives access to winning whatever game they’re playing. 

“Maybe, but I’m not the only one, am I?” her smirk is, in a way, deafening, knowing all too well how quickly the girl melts when hands roam her body and linger in certain areas, and Cheryl takes a deep breath. “Talk about enticing,” as she whispers and watches her girlfriend’s face change from cunning to submissive, her fingertips trail underneath the red-head’s jacket and shirt. “I think I could get used to this, day in and day out. I think you could, too.”

“Cockiness will get you nowhere,” Cheryl is able to put on a tight-lipped smile, though she can’t hide how much she’s reveling in the sensation of fingertips intricately tracing her skin, no longer shy or afraid of a negative reaction like when the brunette had first taken the risk. 

“Are you sure about that?” Toni wants to roll her eyes at the desperate attempt to deny what’s true, and even Cheryl breathes out a laugh because there’s no way in hell she’s going to convince her of something that’s obviously a lie and has been proven as such previously; she loves when her girlfriend acts confident, mainly because everyone else thinks she’s so free and easily swayable but, in private, it’s a whole, shifted personality that’s a major turn on. 

“Okay,” she smiles almost painfully, “that was a lie.”

“Yeah, I know,” it gives her more power within the current scenario, licking her lips and dipping her head down to immediately kiss Cheryl’s neck, occasionally nipping at her soft skin and enjoying the sharp breaths that the girl gives back. 

It’s something the pair has gotten (happily) accustomed to, the knowledge of Cheryl’s neck sensitivity being first outed when they were spooning, a handful of days following the whole, Sisters of Quiet Mercy debacle. The discovery was unintentional, in all honesty, however Toni would be lying if she didn’t own up to how successful she felt, particularly when Cheryl took the first, shaky breath that told the entire story of how done-for she was ━ and how done-for she’d be each time, after that. Actually, it’s not even just the red-head’s neck that’s sensitive, but Toni has found a map of different areas that beg for her attention despite Cheryl’s tendency to put up a solid front and pretend she’s not aching to be touched. The brunette smirks as she drags her left hand down to the girl’s waist, also feeling her girlfriend tense with excitement beneath her. 

Long gone are Cheryl’s attempts at being strong against Toni’s seduction, and she doesn’t even have the desire to push it away as she allows the girl to move more liberally, tilting her head to the side. She takes deep breaths with her lips occasionally parting, nearly letting herself slip up into having a moan or two pass into the open, but she manages to keep herself under control for the sake of salvaging the surprise following her impending initiation. In the meantime, her nails scratch at Toni’s shirt and pull the girl impossibly closer, meshing their bodies against the mattress as she inhales abruptly when she feels a slight pinch at the base of her neck. Cheryl wants to laugh at Toni’s objective of marking her with a love bite, though it also makes her happy knowing she’s the brunette’s girlfriend and no one else’s. 

She smiles, but the blissfulness is derailed once she feels the fabric of her shirt being sneakily pushed upward as if decisive fingertips wish to travel higher, groaning slightly then chuckling before grabbing Toni’s hand. Suddenly, the brunette is caught off-guard when she’s being nudged to the side with Cheryl sitting up faster than Toni can protest, the red-head raising her eyebrows and playfully lecturing, “Sorry, baby, no sneak peeks. You’re waiting until I’m  _ officially  _ a Serpent.” 

Although she said it to her girlfriend, she’s not entirely sure if it was more so directed at herself; with how crazy her hormones have been following their more and more frequent kisses and touching, Cheryl isn’t positive how far she can allow them to go before she’s unable to stop herself from making any hasty decisions, and, as of now, Toni’s impending (if happening) stay at Thistlehouse is her objective for a “night in.” Hell, this amount of impatience hasn’t even happened to her before, and, honestly, she’s sometimes taken aback by how reactive her body has been to someone who’s newly stepped into her life, but it’s not like she’s trying to push that feeling away. She’d never regret anything with Toni as she trusts the girl with her life, but, again, she supposes this lies with the idea of not wanting to rush anything. On the bright side of the concept of “waiting,” yearning for someone beats the hell out of feeling emotionally stagnant, and Cheryl awaits what it’ll feel like to finally have the girl who, now, pulls herself together with a sheepish look. Until she  _ does  _ have her, though, she’ll just have to suck it up, and she knows the brunette won’t rush her. 

Toni runs a hand through her hair during the short period of quiet, tilting her head and grinning, “You’re a handful,” before rubbing her eyes as if she’s being consumed by the emotional exhaustion of wanting someone so teasing. 

“Aren’t I, though?” Cheryl moves to the side of the bed so she can lean over to Toni, kissing her on the lips once the girl complies. “It’s your favorite quality of mine.”

“Really? I thought my favorite quality was your impeccable choice of lipstick shade,” she disagrees quickly, sarcastically, and the other girl purses her lips. “Which, by the way...” with her thumb, Toni exaggeratedly rubs the skin around her mouth, “thank you again.”

“What can I say? I adore giving you impromptu makeovers,” Cheryl sighs contently, turning toward her mirror and muttering, “and apparently so do you,” while she checks out the red mark near the base of her neck, Toni smirking triumphantly. 

Spinning around, Cheryl extends her hand to her girlfriend with a casual “Come on,” as if they already had a plan for something, but the brunette frowns in confusion.

“Where are we going?”

“I want to take you out. Formally,” the girl beams, exterior and voice both showing her excitement and decisiveness. 

“It’s nine o’clock at night,” her voice cracks, amused ━ not to say she she’s rejecting the offer because, shit, an actual date with her girlfriend has been something she’s wanted since before they even officialized their relationship, disregarding the fact that she’s never been the sappy type.

“Time doesn’t exist when I’m with my girlfriend,” nonetheless, Cheryl pulls Toni to her feet, standing next to the mattress.

“That was smooth,” it comes with a laugh. “I’m impressed.”

“Impressed enough to accept my invitation?”

Toni bows her head, soaking in the moment and answering, “It’d be my pleasure,” with a thickness about the response ━ something Cheryl immediately picks up on even though the brunette, herself, lacks the realization of what she just said or unknowingly implied. 

“Intriguing word-choice,” Cheryl tuts, getting Toni to bite the tip of her tongue once it finally hits her. 

The red-head doesn’t stop there, however, letting the notion drift through the air another second or two longer before humming, approaching a few steps closer, and whispering in Toni’s ear, “Something on your mind?” just before she ultimately passes by and leaves her girlfriend stunned, standing in the same spot, all too flustered. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoever says Toni is the more confident one in this relationship… they're wrong. I mean, opinions are opinions which I respect, but you cannot expect Toni to not be nervous around Cheryl when this girl is a walking, sexual time-bomb. Plus, nervousness is just humane! No one is bound to be bold at every moment of their life. For these two, specifically, I don't think either of them are necessarily more overpowering than the other, and that's why they're such a good fit. But that's the end of my miniature rant, don't worry.
> 
> So, this was the second to the last one-shot (that I've had planned) and, obviously, the next one will be following Cheryl's Serpent ceremony to wrap things up. Similar to this one, it'll be a little steamy, but it'll also give us a look into Cheryl's new thoughts now that Toni has come into her life and changed things for the better; we'll primarily see her outlook on the Serpents nowadays (since, let's be real, she was pretty damn rude to Southsiders in the past) and how her mindset has changed. It's a nice wrap-up, if I do say so, myself.
> 
> I'll see you for the last (as of now) one-shot in a few days.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Toni moves into Thistlehouse (at least for a little) ━ Taking place in 2x22, sometime after Cheryl officially joins the Serpents.

Her legs straighten as she dismounts her motorcycle, initially taking a second or two in order to crack her back and stretch before actually undoing her backpack from the bike and fastening it on her body. She doesn’t turn to the house just yet, however, as nerves begin to consume her stomach with the knowledge of certain possibilities residing within those walls ━ the walls she’ll be sleeping between for the next however-many days, weeks, months…

She takes a deep breath, putting a smile on her face but sealing her lips because it’s grown so surreal in past days, just knowing that she’ll be staying with her beautiful, firecracker type of girlfriend ━ especially after all that they’ve  _ already  _ been through, including earlier when Cheryl was finally welcomed into the Serpents with a vibrant, custom red leather jacket on her shoulders. 

Toni smiles fondly at the memory, feeling warmth flow through her chest because, shit, she’ll never stop remembering how happy her girlfriend appeared or even felt as she stood next to the brunette, anxiously waiting for Jughead to turn to her and officially bring her into the gang. Of course, Toni stood by proudly, not being able to stop herself from so-visibly swooning over the fact that her girlfriend ━ who’s been through so much, or _ too much _ in her life ━ finally has a family to look after her, and she believes that Cheryl has recently found a sort of purpose within what she’s been put in this world for. Sure, the girl wasn’t necessarily fallen into a deep hole of depression before, but she always showed some clear signs of confusion and internal conflict about what her life’s objective was, or what her role in society is. Despite being a former bitch (and occasionally still being quite feisty), Cheryl always knew that wasn’t what she was intended to do here, though she was bred and raised to believe so. Now, it’s obvious that her mindset has changed superbly, and Toni finds solace knowing she’s been able to help the other girl come to terms with everything. 

“Are you going to stand there for the rest of the night?”

She turns around to see Cheryl standing in the doorway, looking as smug as ever with her right arm above her head, holding onto the door frame with her head tilted to the side. The girl also looks expectant, Toni notes, and a little too devious for her own good, but also… warm, inviting, comforting ━ just to name a few. Toni snickers and shakes her head, glancing over her shoulder one more time to make sure she has everything before walking toward the door with a shyness yet readiness about her movements. 

The walk is short but feels like an entire mile or two longer, a big part of that being due to Cheryl’s heavy, unwavering stare and the evening’s quietness surrounding them. Toni keeps her breath even, however, while putting on a solid facade expressing that she’s totally not nervous about anything that may or may not happen tonight, but Cheryl can see straight through her ━ particularly because they’ve been exchanging some  _ very  _ interesting texts back and forth today, most of which sounded eager and impatient. Scratch that; they’ve been exchanging sultry messages for  _ days _ , and, just yesterday, their steamy, electronic interactions even resulted in a near slip-up on both of their parts:

_ Cheryl straddles Toni, kissing her heavily as the brunette tries to remain sitting up on the bed, though her elbows now dig into the comforter beneath her body because the other girl allows herself to push them down to the mattress. It can’t be that simple, though, and Toni knows that at least one of them needs to bring up the situation in hopes that it reminds them of its circumstances. Her lip is soon trapped between teeth, though, and she actually groans at the sensation because her body feels like it’s on overdrive and her girlfriend isn’t helping worth a damn. _

_ The sound earns a smirk, and Cheryl backs up just enough for Toni to catch her breath ━ just enough for the brunette to speak up, too. _

_ “This isn’t you practicing your initiation routine anymore, is it?” _

_ It makes Cheryl blink, the girl looking like she’s been caught doing something wrong even though it’s so, so satisfying. Admittedly, Toni’s right: this instance of lying on top of the girl surely isn’t part of her practice ━ not what she planned, at least ━ like she’d been doing for the past handful of minutes, but she’s not complaining about them ending up this way, and she doesn’t think her girlfriend is, either. Also admittedly, this spur-the-moment, “practice” session was more so a ruse to get Toni’s nerves spiked once again, Cheryl making sure the playing field of sexual frustration is evenly matched step by step as she put her best moves on display with a sensual, begging nature ━ maybe a tad extra than what she’ll do for her actual initiation. What’s wrong with being a little extra for a specific advantage, though? _

_ “No,” her smirk surfaces when she answers, kissing Toni again, like she’s stopped caring about the entire game of waiting and planning for their first time together. _

_ The kiss is broken again, the other girl taunting, “What happened to ‘no sneak peeks’?” _

_ “When it’s on my terms, they’re allowed,” it’s smug yet decisive, light and airy as if she’s thought of Toni asking the question before she really had.  _

_ “Just so you have leverage?” her eyes narrow. _

_ “More or less.” _

_ “You’re a tease.” _

_ “This will pale in comparison to what I have planned for you,” her voice sinks below a whisper, brushing her lips against Toni’s as she can almost hear the girl take in a sharp breath. “Enjoy the serenity while you can.” _

_ She puts a hand on her girlfriend’s chest so she can push herself backward, once again standing at the foot of the bed as Toni scrambles to sit up like before. In Cheryl’s mind, her words were so thick and enticing that she believes Toni should be wearing a stunned, blissful expression of scenarios being clearly imagined, but, in front of her, the brunette’s poker face is seemingly stronger than she had initially figured.  _

_ “You’ve seen me fight fire with fire, Cheryl,” her girlfriend lowly issues a warning with squinted eyes and her tongue afterwards pressing to her inner cheek, and the red-head raises her eyebrows with her hands on her hips. _

_ Toni, keeping her attitude unwavering, internally thinks of how grateful she is for choosing her words carefully, originally wanting to spill unintentional innuendos such as, “I won’t go down without a fight,” or, “I’m not going to take this lying down.” She mentally face-palms when realizing, her mind continuing on its sexualizing tendency as it’s done throughout the week.  _

_ “Trust me, I haven’t forgotten,” in the end, Cheryl decides to accept Toni’s strive to mutually battle with reminders. “All the more thrill when you do.” _

Still walking, Toni wipes her thoughts away without actually shaking her head for Cheryl to see, but the red-head’s new jacket brings back each and every memory as she grows closer and closer. She decides to clear her throat, instead, hoping to swallow the forming, nervous lump within. 

Part of her wonders how she’s come to be so nervous around Cheryl’s fresh, lovable persona when the girl’s former, brash attitude never caused her to think twice about anything. In fact, looking at the bigger picture, she flashes back to her previous relationships and how she never batted an eyelash when someone made a move on her, like she only went with it and enjoyed it during that, particular moment. Each time, she was the one putting anxiety on someone else, or evoking that smitten shyness one gets when they’re swooning over someone new; no matter what, she made sure she was unmoved by most things ━ not necessarily emotionally dead, but always cautious in case something didn’t pan out. Hell, she even had a few, summer flings without experiencing a single taste of nervousness, but this…

This is new. Now, she’s on the other end of things, and it’s because Cheryl is completely different from every other person she’s been with in the past; her girlfriend is real, and dynamic, and just… the epitome of what the universe stands for: complexity and beauty. That idea, alone, is a force to reckon with, and the past week and beyond have proved it.

She takes another deep breath, and, this time, sees the red-head also nibble her lower lip for a split second, like she’s finally slipped up and shown how nervous she, herself, is, even though she’s been pretending to be the hunter instead of the prey. Luckily for the two of them, it’s only assurance that they’re not alone as their emotions pull them back and forth, and it’s all the more relieving. 

They’re face to face within another round of seconds, Toni standing merely a foot away with Cheryl now flashing her a genuine smile that’s finally paired with a flirtatious yet authentic “Welcome home” that the brunette can’t help but grin at.

In fact, she can’t exactly come up with a valid response to something so weighted and true ━ definitely not with her mind running a mile per minute ━ so, in the end, she only keeps the smile on her face as Cheryl gestures for her to pass. 

Toni hears the door close behind them, but her focus shifts when she sees Nana Rose sitting nearby with an equally content smile on her face, though it’s a tad deviously insightful and, suddenly, the brunette wonders if Cheryl acquired more traits from the even-older woman than she did from her own mother. _ If that’s the case, so be it, _ Toni thinks. 

“Nana Rose,” Toni offers with a politeness about the greeting, giving not much else as the older woman bows her head slightly in a mirrored respect. 

After, there’s a thick, tense silence as Cheryl laces her fingers with Toni’s in a casual reminder that she’s standing right behind her, and the brunette nearly jumps at the feeling of soft skin against hers. Cheryl seals her lips at the reaction, though a tiny smirk tugs at the corner of her lips. Toni turns to her, the two having a small, unspoken conversation before Cheryl begins to walk in front of her girlfriend while semi-pulling her along, notifying Nana Rose, “If you’ll excuse us, we have to get Toni settled.” 

She doesn’t even get the chance to respond, but Toni vaguely hears the woman hum flatly as she’s pulled along, up the stairs, and down the hallway. In the meantime, she zones in on Nana Rose’s reaction, wondering if she knows the extent of their defined relationship or why Cheryl is acting so eager to get upstairs ━ also coming to thought because, when the red-head was in trouble, Toni was the one contacted about the Sisters of Quiet Mercy information. Quite frankly, Nana Rose knew about their relationship before it even started, and she knew more about the two of them than any of their classmates at school did. On the other hand, the thought of the woman picking up on the obvious tension isn’t going to ease her mind whatsoever, and it almost makes her laugh incredulously because, wow, that’s a bit pressuring. 

“And here’s your room,” she hears Cheryl say with the most cheesy demeanor, waving her hand out to display the area as if Toni hadn’t seen it before ━ though it’s much cleaner than usual, the bed is made, and━ 

“You mean,  _ your  _ room?” Toni smirks to focus elsewhere and gives her a pointed stare, her girlfriend approaching slowly. 

“You didn’t think I’d make you sleep somewhere else, did you?” her hands are placed on Toni’s shoulders, moving her thumbs gently as the brunette stays still. “Or let you,” Cheryl whispers with a smile, slowly leaning in to kiss her girlfriend, like they hadn’t seen each other only a couple of hours ago. 

The kiss is short and sweet, though it lingers once they pull away with childish smiles and a timidity that they’ve both been trying to hide. This time, it’s Cheryl who clears her throat, allowing Toni to pass and put her backpack on a nearby chair until she decides to fully unpack and get comfortable.

“What’d you think of my dance?” Cheryl breaks the ice, and Toni stops in her tracks as her back is turned.

“I…” she laughs at her own speechlessness. “You’re  _ definitely  _ Serpent material.”

“That’s not what I meant,” the other girl rolls her eyes even though Toni can’t see, though she wears a silly smile on her face.

Once she turns back around, she’s still entertained by her own state of dumbfoundedness, just dropping her arms by her side and quietly saying, “You know I loved it. Don’t make me look like an even-bigger idiot by not being able to formulate a better answer.”

“Was I that good?” it’s triumphant and nosy, tilting her head to the side. “Did I do it correctly?” now, her voice turns playful and sneaky, jabbing at the girl’s words from days ago.

Toni bites the tip of her tongue, putting her hands on her hips and looking to the other side of the room so she can avoid Cheryl’s teasing demeanor. Truly, this round of lacking words is nothing compared to how quiet she had fallen when it was actually time for Cheryl’s Serpent dance, the girl taking her time as if it’d only been the two of them. The girl had dressed up in tight clothing ━ opposing Toni’s original wonders if the red-head would be wearing something skimpy to sway everyone’s favor a little more ━ and she looked like she knew precisely what she was going to do and how she was going to do it, for how long, when, and everything else. Toni just stared, her lips actually parting at the sight when Cheryl initially stood up, before she closed her mouth and tried her best to keep on a face that told no stories. A time or two, Cheryl glanced at her to reiterate that she’d been thinking it’s only the two of them in the room, and Toni gave her a nod to tell her that it’s okay, she’s doing great, and, soon, she’d be an official Serpent. 

“I’ve never seen you so speechless,” when the brunette remains silent, Cheryl continues, smiling big and remembering something that the other girl had said during the night when they first hung out. “I didn’t think speechlessness was a familiar concept to  _ the  _ Toni Topaz.”

This time, she shakes her head with a laugh coming out, soon rolling her eyes fully before settling by slumping her shoulders, looking at Cheryl as they stand feet apart, and asking, “Are you happy?”

“Right now?” it catches her off-guard, tone changing to something more confused before thinking. “Let’s see… my girlfriend is here, in my room, and she’s going to be living with me for a while… well, if  _ I  _ have anything to do with her decision, so I’d say there’s a  _ pretty  _ big chance that I’m happy, yes.”

She chuckles while stepping closer, “No, I mean about joining the Serpents.”

Cheryl looks at her.

“I just want to make sure your decision still had to do with what  _ you  _ wanted and less with what  _ I  _ wanted,” she stops when there’s only a foot of distance between them. “I may want what’s best for you, but only you will  _ know  _ what’s best for you.”

There’s a pause, but, in that time, the red-head smiles tenderly before thinking, licking her lips, and explaining, “I’m finally part of something that’s bigger than just secrets and false affection. I’m part of something…  _ more _ . A faction built on respect and bonding, and trust in others even though we all come from different places. Something I hadn’t seen before, and I’m sorry I couldn’t. I had such a toxic ideology before, and I branded the Serpents with misinterpreted self-logic. I thought they were all delinquents, disrespectful and the embodiment of everything negative. I thought  _ you  _ were, too. I was  _ so  _ wrong, and I’ll never stop apologizing.”

No response, but Toni’s full attention remains as Cheryl continues, “But they’ve all accepted me ━  _ you’ve  _ accepted me ━ when no one truly had to. No one is responsible for me, or is made to look out for me, but… you’ve all welcomed the idea, despite what I’ve done and how I casted you out. Despite who I am, or what my name is. What blood I exist from.”

Toni listens, waiting for her girlfriend to finish even though all she wants to do is kiss her and provide comfort saying that she’ll always be here and she always would’ve been, even if she wasn’t now a fellow Serpent. 

“I’m finally part of a family,” she says, taking Toni’s hands, “so I don’t think the word ‘happy’ even begins to cover what I’m feeling right now.”

At the end of Cheryl’s explanation, Toni can’t wait any longer, and all but lunges forward to connect their lips in a kiss that speaks volumes. The embrace doesn’t surprise the other girl like the brunette had wondered, and she automatically melts into it with a smile curving her lips even though she tries to prevent it from breaking their kiss. She fails, however, and it disrupts the moment, though neither of them would want it any other way, and they enjoy the peacefulness between them.

“You’re part of our family,” Toni confirms with a tiny smirk. “You’re part of  _ my  _ family,” she displays a form of mutual emotion, curtly nodding before biting her lower lip. “And, although I would’ve never pictured Cheryl Blossom being a Serpent…”

Cheryl licks her lips at the way Toni’s eyes seemingly darken when they drift downward to peek at the red jacket adorning her body, the small proximity between them becoming a little hotter, thicker, with intentions abound, like a switch has been flipped so randomly ━ followed by the end of the brunette’s statement, the final thing she hears before their lips crash together:

“…you were right. It  _ definitely  _ looks good on you, Bombshell.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since I think it's safe to assume Toni moves in with Cheryl after the Serpent-jacket ceremony (as per Roberto's recent IG post), that's how I placed the scenes, plus I thought it made more sense that way. On the contrary, I'm not sure if, in season three, they'll be going with the storyline of Toni living with Cheryl or if it's entirely erased since we didn't actually see the scene so technically it's not canon, so I left the door open to switch it (if I so choose, in the future) with Toni only living there "momentarily." Also! There was a lot of theorizing that Cheryl did the Serpent dance for Toni whether it was somehow her legitimate initiation (which is doubtful, in my opinion) or just because she wanted to, so I tied that in here without knowing what the hell the writers did because THEY CUT LITERALLY EVERYTHING━
> 
> Sorry.
> 
> Actually, I'm not; they deserve my outrage. But sorry you precious beans had to see it.
> 
> So, here endeth the canon one-shots (at least for now), and, I'll be honest, I'm not sure if I'll be writing others based off my own ideas or what. My mental health has still been moderately low (if you followed my Emison stories, you'll know that my health and discouragement is why I stopped writing, in the first place), so I'm not sure if I have the energy to continuously throw out one-shots ━ not to mention the fact that I'm looking for a solid job. But, I can promise you that, if I get an idea for a Choni one-shot so much that I get this massive drive to actually write it, then I'll certainly post it for you. I think we all deserve to see/read a little more Choni content (good content), and I'll happily share whatever I find within myself.
> 
> All of you commentators/reviewers/followers/friends have been great for these, and I'm so relieved that you helped me become more comfortable with writing for an audience again. Baby steps, baby steps. I understand I won't heal overnight, nor will I be a five-star writer within a day, but I'm constantly changing my style to improve, and I hope that was noticeable. I hope I provided you with the content you were hoping for while you helped me through this little writer's block I've had, and thank you again for everything. This isn't necessarily a goodbye (even though it sounds like that, doesn't it?), but just a "heads-up that I may not be as punctual with posting" type of thing. Season three will bring new ideas, and hopefully way more Choni.

**Author's Note:**

> If you'd like, you can find me on Tumblr (“capn-charlie”) to drop a comment/question or two in my inbox, or just follow/bookmark/whatever on here. 
> 
> Otherwise, thanks for reading and have a great day!


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